How Sweep It Is; DSC Takes Final Games from UHH

Four homers highlight Tuesday sweep of the Vulcans

C Joe Andrade hit a grand slam for his first DSC homer in the Storm's DH win

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Box Scores: Game 1 | Game 2

ST. GEORGE, Utah – Head coach Mike Littlewood did a celebratory dance near the first base dugout Tuesday after his baseball team completed a five-game sweep of Hawaii-Hilo. Behind a dominating offense, the Red Storm won a pair of games 9-3 and 14-3 at Bruce Hurst Field.

Dixie State (17-7, 13-3 PacWest) took the opening conference game thanks to three home runs. Joe Andrade (Yuma, AZ/San Luis ), the current PWC Player of the Week, came to the plate with the bases loaded and rocketed a grand slam to right center in the first inning.

Two innings later, Jordan Hanley (Las Vegas. NV/Bonanza) sent a line-drive laser over the wall in left for a two-run shot. Eric Bond (Scottsdale, AZ/Horizon) led off the sixth inning with a first-pitch solo shot to right field.

The Red Storm had 10 hits in the seven-inning affair in support of starting pitcher Troy Hunter (Las Vegas, NV/Centennial). The sophomore right-hander scattered three unearned runs over 5.1 innings for his second consecutive victory (3-1). Daniel Zapata (Mesa, AZ/Westwood) earned a save (3) shutting down a Vulcan rally in the sixth and seventh innings.

Tyler Simao of UHH dropped to 2-2 on the year allowing eight runs on seven hits while walking five in five frames.

The second game of the day did not count toward the Pacific West Conference standings, but it did not stop the Red Storm for piling on early offense.

After Hilo got a run in the top half of the first, DSC responded with six runs on seven hits – which ranged from doubles by Ammon Zitting (Pleasant Grove. UT/Lone Peak) and Nick Urban (Las Vegas, NV/Arbor View) to a bunt RBI single by Colton Yack (South Jordan, UT/Bingham).

Bond tacked on a run with a double in the second inning pushing the DSC lead to 7-1.

Dixie State, as they did the entire series, answered the call after UH Hilo (6-9, 3-5 PWC) posted runs. In the third inning, a Tyson Littlewood (St. George. UT/Pine View HS) sacrifice RBI fly and a two-run single by Justin Jensen (Taylorsville, UT/Taylorsville) outshined the two runs posted by the Vulcans.

Insurance runs came in the fourth inning. Zitting singled for one run and pinch hitter Chase Pittsenbarger (Las Vegas, NV/Las Vegas) sent a payoff pitch off the Bruce Hurst Field scoreboard in left-center for a two-run homer.

DSC had 14 hits led by Bond's three doubles.

Bryce Anderson (Cedar City, UT/Cedar HS) tossed four scoreless frames allowing two hits closing out the game for victory (1-0). Hilo starter Dane Kinoshita did not make it out of the first inning in earning the loss (0.1 IP, 6 ER, 6 H).

Dixie State embarks on a critical 13-game conference road swing beginning April 1 in Phoenix against Grand Canyon University. The trip will include stops at Hawaii Pacific and Hawaii-Hilo.

The Red Storm do not return home for a game until April 21 against Grand Canyon.

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