Storm looks to calm early sting with home opener against MSUB

Winless DSU and winless Yellowjackets begin four-game series on Friday

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Dixie State Red Storm (0-7) vs. Montana State Billings Yellowjackets (0-4)
Feb. 21 - 23, 2014
Bruce Hurst Field | St. George, Utah

Radio: None
Video: None
Live Stats: Available on DixieAthletics.com home page and baseball schedule
Twitter: @DixieAthletics | #DixieBase

Dixie State against MSUB: 10-2 all-time advantage

Dixie State Projected Starters:
FRIDAY: RHP Kort Christoffersen (Ogden, UT/Weber) (0-2, 12.00 ERA)
SATURDAY (1): RHP John Conquy (Las Vegas, NV/Durango) (0-1, 1.84 ERA
SATURDAY (2): LHP Bronson Anderson (Lehi, UT/Lehi) (0-1, 2.89 ERA
SUNDAY: RHP Chance Abrath (Salt Lake City, UT/West) (0-1, 7.56 ERA)

SETTING THE PLATE

• Dixie State's home opening series is with another West Region team, the Yellowjackets of Montana State Billings. Since 2012, the Jackets have been the opening series for DSU at home.

• Tyler Blair (Henderson, NV/Green Valley) leads Dixie State in hits (11), home runs (1) and RBI (5) through seven games. Austin Bartleson (Kennewick, WA/Southridge) went 5-for-9 in the CMU series to lead all hitters with a .556 batting average. Drew McLaughlin (Scottsdale, AZ/Desert Mountain) is the only other starter presently hitting over .300 fro the season (.333).

• As a team, the Red Storm's combined ERA sits at 6.18 and opponents' batting average is a lofty .305. John Conquy (Las Vegas, NV/Durango) made a seamless transition from the bullpen to the starting rotation. He allowed two runs on seven hits in a 2-0 loss to CMU. Bronson Anderson (Lehi, UT/Lehi) struck out the side twice and scattered one run over 5.1 innings in his last start. Evan Parker (Ogden, UT/Bonneville) has shined out of the pen, retiring all 9 batters he has faced with five strikeouts.

FAMILIAR FOE

• MSUB was swept by NAIA No. 2 Lewis-Clark State last weekend in Lewiston, Idaho. Billings was selected to finish third in the GNAC preseason vote behind perennial power Western Oregon and Central Washington.

• The Yellowjackets are hitting .206 as a team, but two individuals had quality series against L-C State. Brody Miller is 9-for-15 (.600) with two doubles, a home run and six RBI. Luke Reinschmidt had five hits including two triples to finish with a .417 average.

• The 2014 season marks the fourth for Rob Bishop, who guided MSU Billings to a solid 17-14 conference record a season ago. MSUB returns two GNAC All-First Team selections from a year ago – LHP Brady Muller and C/OF Drew Fosnes. Muller tossed three complete games for MSUB in 2013 while posting an ERA of 3.47 and striking out 64 batters in 80 1/3 innings. Fosnes hit .335 as a junior and tied for the team lead with 12 doubles last year.

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