Game Times (Mountain):
Friday - 2:30 p.m.
Saturday (DH) - 12 noon
Sunday - 12 noon

Audio/Video: portal.stretchinternet.com/cmumavericks/
Live Stats: Dixie State Live Stats
Twitter: @DixieAthletics | #RollStorm | #PacWestBASE
 
PROJECTED STARTERS:
Friday (G1) – RHP Dylan File (St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS) (1-0, 3.31 ERA) vs. RHP JR McDermott (1-0, 2.16 ERA)
Saturday (G2) – LHP Aaron Pope (Chubbuck, Idaho/Highland HS) (2-0, 1.96 ERA) vs. RHP Matt Allen (0-0, 4.00 ERA)
Saturday (G3) – RHP Mason Hilty (Richland, Wash./Richland HS) (3-0, 1.76 ERA) vs. RHP Tyler Day (0-1. 8.00 ERA)
Sunday (G4) – RHP Chance Abrath (Salt Lake City, Utah/West HS) (1-0, 3.09 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Cardinale (0-0, 13.50 ERA)

OUT OF THE BOX: (ST. GEORGE, Utah – February 24, 2016) No. 10/No. 13 Dixie State (10-0/0-0 PacWest) will look to remain unbeaten and improve on the best start in its NCAA Division II era as the Storm hits the road for the first time this season, traveling to Grand Junction for a four-game weekend series at No. 3/No. 3 Colorado Mesa. The Storm and Mavericks will play a single game on Friday, Feb. 26, followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 27, and the series finale on Sunday, Feb. 28.

LAST TIME OUT: Dixie State clinched a sweep of its season-opening 10-game homestand last weekend with a pair of victories over Minot State, 11-6, last Friday, followed by a thrilling 9-6 win in 10 innings vs. Saint Martin's. Trailing 6-4 in the bottom of the 10th DSU got a lead-off solo home run from sophomore DH Cam Gust (Riverton, Utah/Riverton HS). Then with the bases loaded and one out, senior SS Tanner Morache (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada/Surrey HS) ended the game and the homestand in grand fashion with a walk-off grand slam.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Dixie State trails in its eight-year series vs. Colorado Mesa, 11-16, as the Mavericks have won 11 of the last 14 meetings between the two teams, this after DSU won eight of the first 13 overall. The last time these two teams hooked up in Grand Junction in 2014, CMU posted a 4-0 series sweep, winning all four games by a combined six runs.

COACHING STAFF: Two-time Pacific West Conference Coach of the Year Chris Pfatenhauer is in his fourth season as head coach of the Dixie State Baseball program. Pfatenhauer has led the Storm to consecutive PacWest titles (2014/2015) and three-straight trips (four-straight overall) to the NCAA West Regionals, including serving as the host institution in 2013. Pfatenhauer, who won his 100th-game at DSU last season in a 2-1 victory over Cal Poly Pomona at the NCAA regionals, owns a 110-53 (.675) overall record at DSU, including a 73-27 (.730) record in PacWest play.
    Joining Pfatenhauer (UNLV, 2000) in the Storm dugout this season is first-year pitching coach Michael Gargano (Walden University, 2013), along with second-year assistant coaches Matt Hill (Dixie State 2015), and Bobby Rinard (Arizona, 2014), and first-year assistant coach Patrick Perry (Northern Colorado, 2013).

STORM PICKED AS PACWEST CO-FAVORITES: Dixie State was chosen as a preseason co-favorite to once again win the 2016 Pacific West Conference title according to annual preseason coaches' poll released Jan. 27. The two-time defending PacWest champions received two first place votes to finish with 88 points in the poll. DSU is tied atop the poll with California Baptist, which collected 88 points and six first place nods, followed by Azusa Pacific in third with two first place votes and 78 points. Point Loma (66 points) was tabbed to finish fourth and Fresno Pacific (63 points) was selected fifth to round out the top-half of the poll.
    Dixie State also landed two players on the PacWest Preseason all-Conference team in senior shortstop Tanner Morache (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada/Surrey HS) and junior second baseman Drew McLaughlin (Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain HS).

WE'RE GOING STREAKING: Not only is Dixie State looking to win its third-straight PacWest crown in 2016, the Storm is also hoping to keep its NCAA postseason streak alive as well. DSU has made four-straight NCAA regional appearances, which is currently the longest active streak in the West Region.

IT'S NOT HOW YOU START: Dixie State's 10-0 start to the 2016 season is the program's best start (through 10 games) in its near 10 years of NCAA Division II competition. The 10-0 start to the year also bucked a trend that saw DSU drop the first seven games of each of the past two seasons. However those two seasons turned out just fine as the Storm won the PacWest championship and advanced on to the NCAA West Regionals in each of those years.
    In 2013, Dixie State began the season 11-1, including 10-straight wins after a 1-1 start, en route to a 32-17 overall record and the program's second trip to the NCAA West Regionals.

DSU IN THE POLLS: Dixie State's 10-0 has not only caught the attention of the local media and the PacWest Conference, but also the national media as well.
    Dixie State moved up two spots to #10 in this week's National College Baseball Writers of America (NCBWA) poll, and to #13 in the latest Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll. DSU also jumped up 17 spots to #11 in the new D2BaseballNews.com poll and remained #2 in this week's NCBWA West Region poll.

LUCERO NAMED PACWEST NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK: Junior catcher Reece Lucero (Albuquerque, N.M./La Cueva HS) was named Pacific West Conference Baseball Newcomer of the Week Monday for his performances in the Storm's two victories last weekend.  
    Lucero combined to hit .600 (3-for-5) in the two games played with a double, one home run, three RBI and four runs scored. He went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and three runs scored in DSU's 11-6 win over Minot State last Friday. His home run (first of the year) was a two-run shot in the sixth, which followed an RBI-single in the third.
    Then against Saint Martin's on Sunday, Lucero legged out a pinch-hit double in the 10th inning ahead of the Tanner Morache (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada/Surrey HS) walk-off grand slam home run in the Storm's 9-6 win.

HOME SWEET HOME: Thanks to the 10-0 start at home to begin the 2016 season, Dixie State owns a 191-80 (.705) record inside the friendly confines of Bruce Hurst Field since becoming an NCAA Division II program in 2006-07, with seven-straight winning seasons at home overall. The Storm has posted five 20-plus win seasons over that span, including a program-best 26 wins (26-7) in 2009, and a 22-5 (.814) record under Coach Pfatenhauer in 2014.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Dixie State has also held its own on the road, having played to a 97-90 overall record (.519) through its first nine years of D-II competition with five-straight winning seasons. Last year the Storm went a program-best 15-5 on the road (.750) and has won at least 10 road games in six-straight seasons overall.
    When you figure in neutral-site games (3-6 in nine games), DSU is 100-96 (.510) all-time away from Bruce Hurst Field in NCAA play.

IT'S DEEP AND I DON'T THINK IT'S PLAYABLE: Dixie State connected for four home runs this past weekend, including a season-high three homers in the Saint Martin's game, to bring the Storm's season total to nine through their first 10 games.
    Senior SS Tanner Morache (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada/Surrey HS) hit arguably one of the most memorable home runs in program history with his walk-off grand slam in the 10th-inning of Sunday's 9-6 win vs. SMU.
    Morache's slam marked the first time since the 2010 season that DSU won a game on a walk-off homer and it was the first walk-off grand slam in DSU's D-II era. Former OF Brett Adams had the last Storm walk-off homer, which came in a 9-8 home win over PacWest rival California Baptist (3/31/10).
    Prior to Morache, the last Storm player to record a grand slam was senior 1B Sam Hall, who hit one last season in a 10-6 home win vs. Academy of Art (3-28-15).

FROM POLE TO POLE: Junior RF Trey Kamachi (Kapolei, Hawai'i/Kapolei HS) extended his current hitting streak to 14 games overall, including all 10 games this season and the final four games of the 2015 campaign ... he hit .571 last weekend (5-of-7), including a three-hit game vs. Minot State ... he also laid down three sacrifice bunts and stole one base ... he is hitting .486 on the year with one HR, seven RBI and seven runs scored ... he also leads the team in sacrifices (6) and is 5-of-6 in the stolen base department.
    Junior CF Jerome Hill II (Pittsburg, Calif./Pittsburg HS) started vs. Minot State and went 2-for-5 with a double and RBI ... came on as a defensive replacement vs. SMU and went hitless with a walk and run scored in the Storm 10th inning.
    Junior LF/DH Ryan Rodriguez (Folsom, Calif./Vista Del Lago HS) went 0-for-3 with a run scored vs. Minot State ... DNP vs. Saint Martin's.
    Junior OF Miles Bice (Henderson, Nev./Coronado HS) came off the bench and drew a walk vs. Minot State ... started in right field vs. Saint Martin's and went 2-for-4 with a run scored ... is hitting .385 with a double and five RBI in seven games.

AROUND THE HORN: Freshman INF Bryce Feist (Emmett, Idaho/Rocky Mountain HS) started at 3B vs. Minot State and went 1-for-3 with two RBI ... DNP vs. Saint Martin's.  
    Sophomore Hayes Hall (Spanish Fork, Utah/Spanish Fork HS) split time at DH and 3B in the two weekend games ... went 0-for-3 with a walk and run scored vs. Minot State ... came on as a defensive replacement vs. Saint Martin's and went 1-for-4 with a run scored.
    Junior 3B Tyler Mildenberg (Huntington Beach, Calif./Marina HS) did not play vs. Minot State, but got the start vs. Saint Martin's and legged out an infield single, but was taken out of the game after reaching first base due to injury.
    Senior SS Tanner Morache (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada/Surrey HS) hit .778 (7-for-9) in the two games with one home run (first of the year), five RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases ... against Minot State he went 4-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base ... he followed that up with a 3-of-4 day vs. Saint Martin's, with his big blow coming in the 10th inning with a walk-off grand slam on the first pitch he saw of the at bat ... has hit safely in seven-straight and in 9 of 10 games thus far this season with five multi-hit games in the lead-off spot ... leads the team with a .487 batting average and 13 RBI.
    Junior 2B Drew McLaughlin (Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain HS) picked up a base hit in each game of the weekend to extend his season-opening hitting streak to 10 games ... went 1-for-4 with a two-run HR in the win over Minot State ... followed that up with a 1-for-4 day with a single and run scored vs. Saint Martin's ... currently third on the team in hitting (.462) with a team-high three home runs and co-leads in stolen bases with five.
    Senior 1B Sam Hall co-leads the team in runs scored with nine, this after a 1-for-4 day with an RBI and three runs scored vs. Minot State ... went 0-for-4 with a walk vs. Saint Martin's.
    Sophomore DH Cam Gust (Riverton, Utah/Riverton HS) extended his hitting streak to five games after picking up hits in both games last weekend ... connected for a pinch-hit single with a run scored vs. Minot State ... went 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored vs. Saint Martin's ... clubbed his first home run of the season to lead off the 10th inning vs. SMU ahead of the Morache grand slam.

THE BACKSTOPS: Junior catcher Reece Lucero (Albuquerque, N.M./La Cueva HS) was named PacWest Newcomer of the Week after hitting .600 (3-for-5) last weekend ... went 2-for-4 vs. Minot State with a two-run home run ... finished with three RBI and three runs scored ... legged out a pinch-hit double in the 10th inning vs. Saint Martin's ahead of the Morache grand slam.
    Sophomore Jake Davison (Taylorsville, Utah/Taylorsville HS) started vs. Saint Martin's and went 1-for-2 with two RBI.

ROTATION NOTES: Sophomore RHP Dylan File (St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS) (1-0) started vs. Minot State and was touched up for a season-high six runs on seven hits in 4.1 IP ... did record three strikeouts.
    Junior RHP Mason Hilty (Richland, Wash./Richland HS) (3-0) fanned six in 3.1 innings of relief and was credited with the victory over Minot State.
    Sophomore LHP Aaron Pope (Chubbuck, Idaho/Highland HS) (2-0) got the start vs. Saint Martin's and scattered six hits and two runs with five strikeouts in five innings.
    Senior RHP Chance Abrath (Salt Lake City, Utah/West HS) worked 3.1 innings of relief vs. SMU, allowing two runs on two hits with two strikeouts.

CALL TO THE PEN: The DSU bullpen combined for both wins in the two games last weekend, though one of the wins was credited to Hilty ... senior closer Jeremy Alderman (Cheney, Wash./Cheney HS) picked up his first win of the year (to go with two saves) vs. SMU as he recorded the final out of the 10th inning ... Alderman worked 1.1 on the weekend and struck out three ... senior RHP Spencer Greer (Woodinville, Wash./Woodinville HS) worked 1.1 innings vs. Saint Martin's in his lone appearance of the weekend and surrendered two runs on two hits with one strikeout ... senior LHP Kolton Brost (Mona, Utah/Payson HS) appeared in both games over the weekend and allowed one infield hit in 0.1 IP.

TEAM NOTES: DSU combine to hit .391 combined in both games last weekend (27-of-69) to raise its PacWest-leading team batting average to .352 through 10 games ... the Storm had at least 11 hits in six of the 10 games of the homestand, including three 15-hit games and a season-high 17 safeties in game three vs. Cal State San Bernardino (2/6/16) ... Dixie State's pitching staff enters this weekend first in the PacWest in opponent's BA (.202) and third in team ERA (2.40) ... DSU is 23-for-26 (.884) in stolen bases through 10 games, including a 6-for-7 effort last weekend.

UP NEXT: Dixie State returns home to begin PacWest Conference play next weekend as the Storm hosts league co-favorite California Baptist in a big four-game series at Bruce Hurst Field. The Storm and Lancers will play a single game on Thursday, March 3 at 6 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Friday, March 4 beginning at 4 p.m., and the series finale on Saturday, March 5 at 12 noon.