ST. GEORGE – Baseball season has arrived in Utah’s Dixie, at least for the college folks.
Dixie State rallied from a 3-run deficit to edge Cal State-San Bernardino and officially kick off the 2016 baseball season for the Red Storm.
Down 3-0 in the bottom of the seventh, Dixie State’s Trey Kamachi singled up the middle to begin a 5-run rally that would carry the Storm to the end of the game. Kamachi, who had two uncharacteristic errors in the third inning that led to CSU-SB’s 3-run lead, was confident that he would be able to make amends.
“There was a lot of ball game left,” said Kamachi. “I knew we would eventually get the bats going. Our lineup from 1-9 is very good.”
Kamachi’s single scored Cam Gust, who had drawn a walk to begin the seventh. Catcher Reece Lucero drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Trey Reineke came in as a pinch runner for Lucero. Miles Bice advanced the runners on a sacrifice bunt. Preseason all-PacWest selection Tanner Morache then tripled home Kamachi and Reineke to tie the game.
Another preseason all-PacWest selection, Drew McLaughlin, then sacrificed Morache home on a squeeze play. The Storm had taken their first lead at 4-3. But the inning was not over. Tyler Mildenberg laid a bunt down the third-base line then beat out the throw. He then stole second. Sam Hall’s single scored Mildenberg from second to give the Storm an insurance run.
“That is one difference I have already noticed with this year’s team,” said Dixie State head coach Chris Pfatenhauer. “Last year we played well with a lead, but not as well trying to dig out of holes. This year we have more confidence. Both in themselves and in their teammates.”
The hole came in the third inning of this game. The Coyotes put up 3 runs, all unearned. Kamachi misjudged a fly ball to right field, then compounded that with a throwing error. Two CSU-SB runs scored during the play and the batter who reached would score later in the inning for the third run.
“The play unfolded so quickly,” said DSU starting pitcher Dylan File. “It rattled me a little bit. But then you regain focus on the next batter.”
Pfatenhauer praised File, a sophomore from Desert Hills High School.
“Dylan File pitched great tonight,” he said. “He gave us five good innings. Our relief pitchers (Preston Hannay and Kolton Brost) came in and did their job. And Jeremy Alderman closed out the game for us.”
The Storm held CSU-SB to three total hits and struck out 11. Individually, File faced 18 batters, allowed two hits, and struck out eight. Hannay got the victory (1-0) in relief. Offensively, Kamachi and Hall both collected two hits.
CSU-SB falls to 2-2 on the season. The series continues Saturday with a doubleheader. The first game is scheduled for 11 a.m.
Dixie State's Dylan File (33), Dixie State University vs. Cal State San Bernardino, Baseball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 5, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Dixie State's Trey Kamachi (16), Dixie State University vs. Cal State San Bernardino, Baseball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 5, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Dixie State's Drew McLaughlin (2), Dixie State University vs. Cal State San Bernardino, Baseball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 5, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Dixie State's Tanner Morache (7), Dixie State University vs. Cal State San Bernardino, Baseball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 5, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Dixie State's Drew McLaughlin (2), Dixie State University vs. Cal State San Bernardino, Baseball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 5, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Dixie State University vs. Cal State San Bernardino, Baseball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 5, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Dixie State's Tyler Mildenberg (4), Dixie State University vs. Cal State San Bernardino, Baseball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 5, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Dixie State's Samuel Hall (17), Dixie State University vs. Cal State San Bernardino, Baseball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 5, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Dixie State's Samuel Hall (17), Dixie State University vs. Cal State San Bernardino, Baseball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 5, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Dixie State's Dylan File (33), Dixie State University vs. Cal State San Bernardino, Baseball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 5, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Dixie State's Miles Bice (1), Dixie State University vs. Cal State San Bernardino, Baseball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 5, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Dixie State's Jerome Hill II (24), Dixie State University vs. Cal State San Bernardino, Baseball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 5, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Dixie State's Jerome Hill II (24), Dixie State University vs. Cal State San Bernardino, Baseball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 5, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Dixie State's Drew McLaughlin (2), Dixie State University vs. Cal State San Bernardino, Baseball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 5, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
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