Fateful 5th puts Dixie State on brink

Chico State defeats DSC 5-1 in NCAA Regionals

Yuto Kata barehands a bunt Friday against Chico State

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KEIZER, Ore. – The journey to Cary took a detour Friday when momentum shifted in the critical fifth inning at Volcanoes Stadium. Dixie State failed to score with runners in scoring position and Chico State pushed across four runs to defeat the Red Storm 5-1 in the NCAA West Regional Baseball Tournament.

Dixie State faces a rematch with UC San Diego at 1 p.m. Pacific Saturday in an elimination game. The Tritons eliminated the host Wolves of Western Oregon to stay alive in the regional. The DSC-UCSD winner will turn around and meet Chico State in the Regional Championship at 5 p.m.

Josh Mooney (American Fork, UT/American Fork) got the start for the Storm. He bounced back after allowing an RBI single to Myles Dempsey in the first by working out of jams with runners in scoring position in the third and fourth innings.

The difference between DSC scoring one run in the fourth and coming up empty in the fifth boils down to one word: execution. Joe Andrade (Yuma, AZ/San Luis ) put down a solid sacrifice bunt after a pair of singles by Cedric Johnson (Thatcher, AZ/Thatcher) and Tyson Littlewood (St. George. UT/Pine View HS) led off the inning. Mitch Manning (Kaysville, UT/Davis) was walked to bring Ammon Zitting (Pleasant Grove. UT/Lone Peak) to the plate with the bags loaded. The senior shortstop sent the first pitch to center field, deep enough to score a tagging Johnson from third to tie the game.

If the fourth inning was a display of good execution, the DSC fifth was a direct antithesis. Jordan Hanley (Las Vegas. NV/Bonanza) had a bunt single and Garrett Nash (Draper, UT/Jordan) drew a walk from Chico starter Troy Neiman. The Wildcats quickly went to the bullpen for Scott Martin. In a position to sacrifice both runners into scoring position, a Colton Yack (South Jordan, UT/Bingham) bunt was hit right back at Martin, who threw a strike to third for a force on Hanley. Johnson beat out a potential double play ball to put runners at the corners for Littlewood. Despite a good swing, a long flyout to right field ended the threat.

Chico State used the momentum of the defensive stop for a four-run swell in the bottom half of the inning. Mooney lost his command and plunked the first two batters of the frame. DSC turned to Austin Christiansen (Las Vegas, NV/Legacy (NV)), hoping for a ground ball opportunity. The Wildcats sacrificed the lead runners with a bunt and saw the bases load with an intentional walk. Dempsey came through again with a two-run single to right center. Shane Kroker added a run with a safety squeeze bunt. Pierson Jeremiah capped the Chico scoring with a single.

Martin (W, 5-3) took care of Dixie State over the final four innings, allowing only two hits and striking out three. He and Neiman combined for eight strikeouts in total.

For DSC, Jordon Blanchard (Henderson, NV/Coronado) tossed 3.1 innings of unyielding relief – two hits with a strikeout. Mooney dropped his third decision of the year scattering three runs on four hits in four innings.

Hanley went 2-for-4 at the dish and Zitting showed flashed of brilliance defensively from shortstop.

If the Red Storm desires a trip to the Division II College World Series, three wins over two days are needed.

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