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Utah Tech University Athletics

Kody Christoffersen
Stan Plewe/Utah Tech Athletics

Baseball John Potter, Media Relations Assistant

Red Storm opens year at CPP, Baseball preview

Pfatenhauer leads new-look squad on field for tough opening test



ST. GEORGE, Utah – Dixie State baseball readies for its opening series of the 2014 season this Friday-Sunday at Cal Poly Pomona with key returners and a lot of new faces.

Last Season, the Red Storm finished third in the race for the Pacific West Conference championships under head coach Chris Pfatenhauer and hosted the NCAA West Baseball Regional based on its strong non-conference slate. DSU was defeated by eventual region champ Grand Canyon and perennial power Chico State in two games,

This season, Dixie State's strength may come from its pitching staff as the Red Storm return the brothers - Kody Christoffersen (Ogden, UT) and Kort Christoffersen (Ogden, UT) - in the starting rotation. Chance Abrath (Salt Lake City, UT) and Bronson Anderson (Lehi, UT) will also begin in the rotation. In the bullpen, expected closer Evan Parker (Ogden, UT) will join returners Matt Hill (Cypress, CA), Rustin Sveum (Scottsdale, AZ), and Bryson Kenolio (Mililani, HI).

In the infield, All-PacWest ad NCBWA All-West preseason honoree Kevin Kline (Las Vegas, NV) is expected to move across the diamond to third base. Tyler Blair (Henderson, NV), a redshirt senior, will patrol first base. Yuto Kata (Chiba, Japan) also moves positions to second base while redshirt freshman Drew McLaughlin (Scottsdale, AZ) will be at shortstop.

Three new outfielders will take the spots left by graduating seniors (Hanley, Nash, C. Johnson). Donald Glover (Las Vegas, NV) and Mike Umscheid (Beaverton, OR) lead the group to start with Miles Bice (Henderson, NV), returner Kris Kaplan (Las Vegas, NV) and Travis Still (Spanish Fork, UT) all in the outfield group.

Ty Johnson (Thousand Oaks, CA) is expected to take the top spot in the catcher role. Junior college transfer Cody Clark (Las Vegas, NV) will also see time.

ON DECK

Dixie State will open the 2014 season with a three-game series on the road at Cal Poly Pomona. Game time from Scolinos Field on Friday, Feb. 7, is at 3 p.m. MT (2 p.m. PT). The Red Storm and Broncos will the continue the series on Saturday at 1 p.m. MT and Sunday at noon MT. A live stat link for all three games and an audio link for the Saturday/Sunday games are available on DixieAtheltics.com.

LOOKING AT THE BRONCOS

Cal Poly Pomona is 3-0 on the season after sweeping a home-and-home series with PacWest foe, Point Loma. All three wins were one-run game featuring great backend pitching and timely hits. The Broncos are hitting .267 as a team led individually by Steven Andrade (.364) and Matt Munoz (.333). CPP held the Sea Lions to a combined .206 batting average, despite allowing four doubles, one triple and a home run.

The Broncos were selected to finish fifth in the CCAA preseason vote and earned two first-place votes.
 
 
 
 
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