Game Times (Mountain):
Friday - 6 p.m.
Saturday (DH) - 11 a.m., 2 p.m.
Sunday - 12 noon

Audio/Video: None
Live Stats: Dixie State Live Stats
Twitter: @DixieAthletics | #DixieBase
 
PROJECTED STARTERS:
Friday (G1) – RHP Dylan File (St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS) (2015 - 6-1, 2.63 ERA) vs. RHP Tyler Wells (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Saturday (G2) – LHP Aaron Pope (Chubbuck, Idaho/Highland HS) (2015 - 4-4, 4.33 ERA) vs. LHP Don Sullivan (1-0, 2.70 ERA)
Saturday (G3) – RHP Mason Hilty (Richland, Wash./Richland HS) (2016 - 0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Austin Casillas (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Sunday (G4) – RHP Chance Abrath (Salt Lake City, Utah/West HS) (2015 - 2-1, 3.51 ERA) vs. TBA

OUT OF THE BOX: The two-time defending Pacific West Conference champion Dixie State baseball team officially begins the 2016 season this weekend as the Storm opens a 10-game homestand with a four-game series vs. Cal State San Bernardino (1-2) at Bruce Hurst Field. Friday's season-opener will begin at 6 p.m. (MT), followed by a doubleheader Saturday with games at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. (approx.), and Sunday's series finale will start at 12 noon.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Dixie State is 3-4 all-time vs. CS San Bernardino on the diamond, though the two teams have not faced one another since the 2011 season, when DSU took two-of-three from the Coyotes in St. George. Prior to their series win in 2011, the Storm had dropped three of their first four to CSSB, including two-of-three in San Bernardino in 2009.

COACHING STAFF: Two-time Pacific West Conference Coach of the Year Chris Pfatenhauer begins 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, has posted a 100-53 (.653) overall record, 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).

FAMILIAR FACES IN NEW PLACES: When Dixie State takes the field Friday night, the Storm players will see a pair of familiar faces in the opposing dugout in new CSSB head coach Dave Martinez and assistant coach Brett Hambright. Martinez, who started his coaching career with the Coyotes 12 years ago, spent the previous three seasons as DSU's pitching coach and recruiting coordinator, while Hambright was a Storm assistant coach last season.

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).

DSU IN THE POLLS: The preseason prognostications are out and DSU is garnering plenty of regional and national preseason attention. The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released its 2016 NCAA Division II West Region preseason poll Jan. 25, and ranked the Storm third-overall with 41 points, just ahead of PacWest rival California Baptist, which was selected fourth with 40 points. Fellow PacWest members Azusa Pacific (5^th – 30 pts), Fresno Pacific (6^th – 23 pts) and Point Loma (8^th – 21 pts) were also listed on the top-10 regional list.

Cal Poly Pomona received all six first-place votes to claim the top spot in the poll with 60 points, followed by UC San Diego in second with 47 points. DSU also received votes in the 2016 Collegiate Baseball Newspaper preseason poll. Junior 2B Drew McLaughlin (Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain HS) (5-11, 170; Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain) was the only Storm player listed as an NCBWA All-West Region preseason selection, picking up first team honors.

WE'RE GOING STREAKING: Not only is Dixie State entering the 2016 season looking to win its third-straight PacWest crown, 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.

2016 SEASON PREVIEW: Dixie State returns six starting position players, three starting pitchers, and 14 total letterwinners from last season's 32-19 team. The Storm won its second-straight PacWest title with a 24-8 league record and advanced to their fourth-straight NCAA West Regional, going 1-2 in tournament play.

FROM POLE TO POLE: DSU returns two starting outfielders in junior LF Miles Bice (Henderson, Nev./Coronado HS) and junior RF Trey Kamachi (Kapolei, Hawai'i/Kapolei HS). Bice started in 22 of 42 games last season, hitting .269 with four doubles and 10 RBI, while Kamachi hit .248 in 42 games (39 starts) with seven doubles and 15 RBI.

Junior college transfer Jerome Hill II (Pittsburg, Calif./Pittsburg HS) looks to be the opening centerfielder for the Storm. Last season as a sophomore at Los Medanos College, Hill led the Mustangs with a .348 average, 26 stolen bases and 27 runs scored, along with six doubles and 18 RBI.

Fellow juniors Ryan Rodriguez (Folsom, Calif./Vista Del Lago HS) and Trey Reineke (Aurora, Colo./Smoky Hill HS) will also provide depth and push for playing time in the outfield. Rodriguez was named 2015 Rawlings/ABCA All-American at Butte CC after hitting .416 with two homers and 43 RBI last season, while Reineke hit .336 with seven HRs and 29 RBI last season at Northeastern JC.

AROUND THE HORN: Dixie State returns three starters on the infield, highlighted by 2016 preseason all-PacWest selections in senior SS Tanner Morache (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada/Surrey HS) and junior 2B Drew McLaughlin (Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain HS). Last season, Morache earned PacWest Newcomer of the Year, first team all-conference, and NCBWA second team All-West Region honors after hitting a team-high .367 with nine doubles, two home runs and 38 RBI. Morache also led the team in hits (73) and on-base percentage (.417), and finished with 45 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. He recorded a club-best 23 multi-hit games, including five three-hit games and three four-hit outings.

McLauglin, who was also named to the 2016 NCBWA All-West Region preseason first team, earned first team all-PacWest recognition last year after hitting at .313 with seven doubles, one home run, 22 RBI and 42 runs scored. He collected at least one base hit in 34 of 50 games played with 19 multi-hit games, including seven three-hit efforts.

Also coming back is senior 1B/C Samuel Hall (Ogden, Utah/Bonneville HS) and sophomore infielders Hayes Hall (Spanish Fork, Utah/Spanish Fork HS) and Cam Gust (Riverton, Utah/Riverton HS). Hall started in 30 of 39 games last season and hit .222 with one homer and 22 RBI, while Hall batted .250 in 31 games (15 starts) and Gust played in 36 with 32 starts and hit .221 with a homer and 19 driven in.

At third base, Oregon State transfer Tyler Mildenberg (Huntington Beach, Calif./Marina HS) will look to secure the opening day start at the hot corner, while freshmen Kade Cloward (South Jordan, Utah/Bingham HS), Bryce Feist (Emmett, Idaho/Rocky Mountain HS) and Joe Raymond (Foresthill, Calif./Del Oro HS) will compete for playing time throughout the season.

THE BACKSTOP: DSU will carry two catchers this season in returning sophomore Jake Davison (Taylorsville, Utah/Taylorsville HS) and juco transfer Reece Lucero (Albuquerque, N.M./La Cueva HS). Davison played in 37 games with 13 starts and hit .225 with three RBI, but on the defensive side he recorded no errors in 131 total chances and threw out five of 12 would-be base stealers.

Meanwhile Lucero started in 55 of 58 games for CSN last season and hit .286 with eight doubles, three home runs and 26 RBI. The junior also led everyday position players with a .992 fielding percentage and threw out 11 of 38 base stealers.

THE ROTATION: Sophomore righthander Dylan File (St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS) returns to anchor the Storm rotation after a very successful freshman campaign. File was named PacWest Freshman of the Year after he posted a 6-1 record with a 2.63 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 61.2 IP.

Also coming back is sophomore southpaw Aaron Pope (Chubbuck, Idaho/Highland HS) and senior righthander Chance Abrath (Salt Lake City, Utah/West HS). Pope appeared in 13 games with 12 starts in 2015 and posted a 4-4 record with a 4.33 ERA, while Abrath is looking to bounce back after suffering a season-ending injury early last season. Prior to the injury, Abrath enjoyed a solid start to his 2015 season as he went 2-1 with 30 strikeouts in five appearances.  Also joining the rotation is junior RHP Mason Hilty (Richland, Wash./Richland HS), who went 9-3 with five CGs and a 2.33 ERA last season at the College of Southern Idaho. Hilty held opposing batters to a .214 average during his sophomore campaign and fanned 83 in 92.2 IP.

CALL TO THE PEN: Three relievers and six total returnees, along with six newcomers, make up Dixie State's bullpen this season. Leading the charge are seniors Kolton Brost (Mona, Utah/Payson HS) and Jeremy Alderman (Cheney, Wash./Cheney HS). Brost appeared in 24 games and posted a 3-0 record with one save, while Alderman also went 3-0 in 25 relief appearances. Sophomore RHP Tanner Howell (Boulder City, Nev./Boulder City HS) will figure in the mix after he appeared in 12 games with six starts and a 3-2 record.

DSU also welcomes back three redshirt returnees in senior RHP Mark Marinch (Las Vegas, Nev./Palo Verde HS), junior RHP Jose Rosales-Rodarte (Las Vegas, Nev./Spring Valley HS) and freshman Zach Cordova. In addition, senior transfer Spencer Greer (Woodinville, Wash./Woodinville HS), junior newcomer Tyler Burdett (Las Vegas, Nev./Sierra Vista HS), sophomore juco transfer Trevor Tait (South Jordan, Utah/Bingham HS) and freshman Preston Hannay (Murray, Utah/Murray HS) will also be options in the late innings.

ABOUT THE CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO "COYOTES": CS San Bernardino opened its 2016 season a week before the Storm as the Coyotes took two of three from CCAA rival Sonoma State at home last weekend. Game #1 starter - junior righthander Tyler Wells earned CCAA Player of the Week honors as he fanned 12 and limited Sonoma to two hits over six innings in a 1-0 win in the season opener. Senior infielder Grant Buchanan hit .455 with three RBI to pace CSSB's offense in the series win.

NEXT UP FOR THE STORM: Dixie State continues its 10-game homestand next weekend as the Storm plays a pair of games against Northwest Nazarene on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 12-13, and two games vs. Montana State Billings on Friday Feb. 12, and Sunday Feb. 14. Bruce Hurst Field, along with nearby Dixie High School, will also be the site of several other round-robin games featuring MSUB, NNU and PacWest member Holy Names. Please visit dixieathletics.com for a complete schedule of game sites and times.