LA JOLLA, Calif. – The Dixie State baseball team saw a familiar foe in the NCAA tournament. The Red Storm faced Pac West rival California Baptist in its second elimination game in as many days. While Dixie held a 3-1 advantage over the Lancers in their season series, CBU jumped out to an early lead that it was able to protect with solid pitching and eliminated the Red Storm 5-2 Saturday afternoon.
“They started a freshman pitcher (Tyson Miller) that we had success against in our season series,” said Dixie State head coach Chris Pfatenhauer. “In the season game, the weather conditions were wet, rainy and we were able to hit off him. He pitched much better today. We weren’t as successful today.”
The Lancers put up three runs in the first inning, all unearned, as a fielding error with two outs later led to a three-run home run by Antonio Chavarria.
“Bronson Anderson started for us,” said Pfatenhauer. “He is a lefty and CBU has several left-handed hitters. He pitched very well. Even the home run shot was off a good pitch. Our offense could not put enough together to overcome the early lead.”
CBU would put up two additional runs, one each in the third and the fourth, both off extra-base hits.
Dixie would get two of those runs back in the bottom of the fifth. Trey Kamachi and Ty Johnson both singled and later scored on base hits by Dalton Gust and Yuto Kata. However Miller was able to get out of that inning and more jams over the next three innings as the Red Storm stranded several runners.
“We actually out-hit them,” said Pfatenhauer. “We could not get them across, though.”
The reigning PacWest champion Red Storm end the season with a 36-17 record, setting a new mark for victories. The PacWest championship was its third in six years. Nine players were named to All PacWest teams. Five players earned All-West Region honors. Pfatenhauer was also named PacWest Coach of the year.
Stats: CBU 5, DSU 2
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