Game Times (Mountain):
Thursday, May 19
Game 1 – 11:00 a.m.: No. 2 Dixie State vs. No. 5 Cal State Monterey Bay
Game 2 – 3:00 p.m.: No. 1 California Baptist vs. No. 6 Cal State East Bay
Game 3 – 7:00 p.m.: No. 3 Cal Poly Pomona vs. No. 4 Chico State
 
Friday, May 20
Game 4 – 11:00 a.m.: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5 – 3:00 p.m.: Winner Game 2 vs. Loser Game 3
Game 6 – 7:00 p.m.: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 3

Saturday, May 21
TBA

Sunday, May 22
TBA

Game Notes: (DIXIE STATE - PDF)
NCAA West Region Tournament Central
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Twitter: @DixieAthletics | @Dixie_Base | #DixieBlazers | #PacWestBASE | #d2bsb
 
FIRST PITCH: No. 10/13 Dixie State (38-12/26-10 PacWest) begins its quest for a national championship this weekend as the Trailblazers travel to Riverside, Calif., for the 2016 NCAA Division II West Regionals. The tournament will be held May 19-22, at James W. Totman Stadium on the campus of the host school and top-seeded California Baptist University.
    Dixie State and CBU (39-11) are the lone Pacific West Conference representatives in this year's West Regional, while the other four schools that make up the six-team field hail from the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). DSU was awarded the West Region's No. 2 seed and will face No. 5 seed Cal State Monterey Bay (33-19) in the first game of the day on Thursday, May 19, at 11 a.m. (PT).
    CBU will play No. 6 seed Cal State East Bay (33-20) Thursday at 3 p.m. (PT), while No. 3 seed and defending West Region champion Cal Poly Pomona (35-17) will play No. 4 seed Chico State (32-20) Thursday at 7 p.m. (PT).
    The tournament will continue through Sunday, May 22, with the winner advancing on to the 2016 NCAA Division II College World Series, which will be played May 28-through-June 4, in Cary, NC.

DSU AT THE NCAA WEST REGIONALS: Dixie State earned its fifth-straight regional appearance when its name was called this past Sunday night. DSU's streak of five-straight regional appearances is currently the longest active streak in the region, while the No. 2-seed designation is tied for the highest seed in program history. DSU was awarded the No. 2 seed in its first regional appearance in 2012, while it was the No. 3 seed in 2013 (DSU served as regional host), the No. 5 seed in 2014, and the No. 4 seed last season.
    Overall Dixie State is 5-8 in 13 postseason games, including a 3-2 mark in its debut season in 2012 when the program came within one win of advancing to the NCAA D-II World Series.

DIXIE STATE VS. THE WEST REGIONAL FIELD: Thursday's game vs. Cal State Monterey Bay will be the first-ever meeting between the Trailblazers and Otters on the diamond. In all, DSU is 20-29 combined all-time against the tournament field (14-16 vs. CBU, 5-8 vs. CPP, 1-5 vs. CSU, and 0-0 against CSUEB).

LAST TIME OUT: Dixie State the 2016 regular season by taking three of four at Concordia to wrap up second place in the PacWest standings. DSU outscored the Eagles 28-13 in the series to finish with the year with a 14-6 overall road record (12-4 in PacWest play).

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 led DSU to consecutive PacWest titles (2014/2015) and four-straight trips (five-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 138-65 (.680) overall record at DSU, including a 99-37 (.728) record in PacWest play.
    Joining Pfatenhauer (UNLV, 2000) in the Trailblazer 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).

HOME SWEET HOME: Dixie State finished its 2016 home season with a 24-6 overall record (.800), which is the second-best home mark in the program's NCAA Division II era (26-7 in 2009), and the best home record in four seasons under Head Coach Chris Pfatenhauer. Dixie State is now 203-77 (.725) in 280 games inside the friendly confines of Bruce Hurst Field since 2007 (first NCAA season).
    DSU has posted a winning record at home in all 10 seasons of NCAA play and has won 20 or more games in six of those 10 seasons, including a program-best 26 wins in 2009, and a 22-5 record under Coach Pfatenhauer in 2014.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Dixie State also held its own away from home as the Trailblazers played to a 14-6 road record in the 2016 regular season.
    DSU owns a 111-96 overall road record (.536) through its first nine-plus years of D-II competition with six-straight winning road records. Last year DSU went a program-best 15-5 on the road (.750) and has now won at least 10 road games in seven-straight seasons overall.
    When you also figure in neutral-site games (5-7 in 12 games), Dixie State is 116-103 (.529) all-time away from Bruce Hurst Field in NCAA play.

JUST WIN BABY: Dixie State set a new four-year program record for victories with 38 wins overall after taking three of four at Concordia to wrap up the regular season. DSU's record-breaking season was bolstered by a 10-0 start back in February, its best overall start in the program's 10-year NCAA-era.
    Prior to this season, DSU recorded a program-best 35 regular season victories in 2014 (35-15) and won a game in the NCAA West Regional to finish that season with a four-year era school-record 36 victories (36-17).
    DSU has won 30 games or more in each of the last eight seasons, including 35 in 2012 (35-20), en route to a 319-180 (.639) overall record in nearly 10 years of NCAA Division II competition. The Trailblazers won its 300th game as a four-year program earlier this season in the second game of DSU's doubleheader at Holy Names on March 18. In addition, DSU recorded its 30th win of the year in game No. 38 (at PLNU - 4/8), which was the fastest the program has won 30 games in a season in DSU's four-year era.

CHECK OFF ANOTHER MILESTONE THIS WEEK: When Dixie State takes the field vs. Cal State Monterey Bay on Thursday, it will mark the 500th NCAA game in program history.
     Earlier this season Dixie State surpassed three other four-year era milestones. The Trailblazers played in their 200th road game in the opener at Point Loma (4/8), which was followed by the program's 250th PacWest game in the second game of that doubleheader. In addition, Head Coach Chris Pfatenhauer was in the dugout for his 200th DSU game in the series opener at Concordia April 29. That milestone is one of two the DSU skipper has reached this year as he also coached in his 300th-career game in game two at Point Loma on April 8.

DSU LANDS 11 ON PACWEST POSTSEASON LIST: Dixie State landed 10 players on the 2016 All-Pacific West Conference Baseball Team, as announced on Monday by the conference office based on voting completed by the league's head coaches.
    DSU's double play combination of senior shortstop Tanner Morache (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada/Surrey HS) and junior second baseman Drew McLaughlin (Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain HS) both earned first team all-PacWest honors, while junior catcher Reece Lucero (Albuquerque, N.M./La Cueva HS), junior outfielder Miles Bice (Henderson, Nev./Coronado HS), junior DH Ryan Rodriguez (Folsom, Calif./Vista Del Lago HS) and junior starting pitcher Mason Hilty (Richland, Wash./Richland HS) were voted to the second team. In addition, Hilty was named PacWest Newcomer of the Year, and senior first baseman Samuel Hall (Ogden, Utah/Bonneville HS), junior OF Trey Kamachi (Kapolei, Hawai'i/Kapolei HS), sophomore starting pitcher Dylan File (St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS), and senior reliever Spencer Greer (Woodinville, Wash./Woodinville HS) received third team all-conference recognition.
    Morache, who was a preseason all-PacWest and two-time conference player of the week selection, finished the 2016 regular season with a .401 batting average with three home runs, 38 RBI and a team-high 52 runs scored out of the lead-off spot. He has hit safely in 45 of 50 games with 26 multi-hit games and he recorded hitting streaks of 18 and 16 games this season, while his career-high 18-game streak featured five-straight two-hit games and 12 multi-hit games overall.
    In addition, Morache has reached base safely in 48 of 50 games, including 38-straight to finish the regular season. He is currently DSU's single-season record holder in doubles with 22 and is second all-time on the single-season list in hits with 82. Morache also became the first player in DSU's NCAA-era to hit a walk-off home run (grand slam vs. Saint Martin's, 2/21) and lead-off home run (at Point Loma, 4/8) in the same season. Morache is a 2016 D2 Baseball News/Tino Martinez National Player of the Year semifinalist, and was a 2015 NCBWA Second Team All-West Region selection, the 2015 PacWest Newcomer of the Year and a 2015 First Team All-PacWest honoree.
    McLaughlin, who was also a preseason PacWest Preseason all-Conference and two-time conference player of the week selection, led the team in hitting with a .404 average with five home runs, 42 RBI, 48 runs scored and a team-high 12 stolen bases. He is currently DSU's single-season (84) and career hits (210) leader and became the first DSU player to collect 200 career base hits, doing so with a solo home run vs. Hawai'i Pacific April 22. He has hit safely in 44 of 50 games played with 27 multi-hit games and posted hitting streaks of 13, 11 and 10 games this season. McLaughlin also earned first team all-PacWest honors in 2015, and second team recognition in 2014.
    Lucero, who was a three-time PacWest Newcomer of the Week honoree, finished the regular season third among starters in batting with a .380 average with one homer and 23 RBI on the year. He hit safely in 16 of his final 20 games with eight multi-hit outings, which started with a 4-for-4 day with a career-high four RBI and two runs scored vs. Hawai'i Hilo (3/28). Lucero also posted a .995 fielding percentage and committed just one error in 196 total chances.
    Bice is currently fourth among DSU regulars in batting average at .359 with six doubles and 24 RBI. He hit safely in 37 of 47 games played with 14 multi-hit games. He posted a nine-game hitting streak from April 2-15 with four three-hit games in the stretch and collected at least one base hit in 25 of his last 30 games. He currently leads the team with five outfield assists and is rated as the fourth-toughest batter to strike out in NCAA Division II play, having struck out just six times in 153 at-bats and in 178 total plate appearances.
    Rodriguez is a two-time PacWest Newcomer of the Week selection who is seventh among DSU regular starters in batting average at .340 to go with two homers and 25 RBI. He hit safely in 31 of 44 games with 16 multi-hit games and recorded an 11-game hitting streak from April 9-29, which included four two-hit games and one three-hit outing.
    Hilty broke DSU's single-season wins record with nine (9-1) and became the first pitcher in the program's NCAA-era to win his first nine decisions overall. He was named PacWest Pitcher of the Week (4/4) after he pitched a combined 9.1 shutout innings en route to two wins over Hawai'i Hilo (3/28) and Fresno Pacific (4/2). Hilty currently leads the staff with 69 strikeouts in 70.2 innings pitched and has recorded six or more strikeouts in seven of 13 appearances overall. He struck out a career-high eight in a win over Montana State Billings (2/12) and matched it with eight Ks in 6.1 IP vs. CBU (3/4).
    Hall is currently sixth among regular DSU starters in batting average (.346) and leads the team with eight home runs and 48 RBI. He collected at least on base hit in 40 of 49 games, including a career-high 15-game hitting streak and 18 multi-hit games overall. Hall drove in 11 RBI in a DH sweep of Fresno Pacific (4/1), including a career-high six RBI in the opener, and was 6-of-9 in the twin bill with four extra base hits en route to PacWest Player of the Week honors (4/4). He reached base safely in 44 of 49 games played overall, including 13 of his last 14 games.
    Kamachi is fifth among DSU regulars in batting average at .349 to go with five homers and 28 RBI. He opened the season with a 14-game hitting streak, which including seven multi-hit games, and collected four or more RBI three times, including a career-high five RBI vs. CS San Bernardino (2/6). Kamachi, who is currently tied for third-nationally in sacrifice bunts (15), has hit safely in 34 of 45 games with 14 multi-hit games, and has reached base safely in 38 games overall.
    File posted a 6-1 overall record this season and leads the DSU pitching staff in starts (13) and innings pitched (83.1) and is second in strikeouts (66). He won his first four decisions to begin the season, including a seven-inning complete-game three-hit shutout at Holy Names (3/18), during which he needed just 77 pitches and struck out a career-high nine. File started the season with a 15.1 inning scoreless streak and recorded seven or more strikeouts five times. In addition, he was named 2015 PacWest Freshman of the Year.
    Greer finished the regular season tied for eighth on DSU's saves list with seven. He currently leads the staff with a 1.37 ERA and owns a near 4-to-1 strikeout/walk ratio to go with 20 scoreless appearances overall.

TEAM NOTES: Through 50 games this season, Head Coach Chris Pfatenhauer has employed 45 different starting line-up/batting order combinations ... In addition, DSU has used 31 different starting defensive line-ups through 50 games ... DSU has nine series victories on the season overall, including four four-game sweeps ... DSU improved to 6-2 in extra-inning games this season, including a 4-1 mark in PacWest play, after claiming a 5-4 win in 10 innings in the regular season finale at CUI (5/1) ... DSU's extra-inning win vs. CUI was also the Trailblazers' seventh win in their final at-bat ... DSU continues to lead the PacWest and is 12th-nationally in team batting average at .339, as eight of its nine regular starters are batting over .320, and is 18th in the nation in hits with 564 ... Entering play this weekend, Dixie State leads the nation in sacrifice bunts with 77 through 50 games ... Dixie State's pitching staff finished the regular season third-overall and is currently 17th-nationally in ERA at 3.47 ... The Trailblazers are also ranked t-17 in the country in WHiP (1.29) and t-22nd in OB% (.416) ... DSU is 66-for-87 (.758) in stolen bases through 50 games.

PLAYER NOTES: Junior CF Jerome Hill II (Pittsburg, Calif./Pittsburg HS) finished the 2016 regular season with a 1.000 FLD% as he recorded 102 put-outs and two outfield assists in 104 total chances ... Hill II finished the regular season batting .323 with one home run, 17 RBI, 35 runs scored and nine stolen bases  ... Senior LHP Kolton Brost (Mona, Utah/Payson HS), who is t-17th nationally in appearances (25), made his second collegiate start in the finale at CUI and retired nine of the first 11 Eagles he faced ... Brost struck out two and scattered two runs and five hits over 5.2 innings, but did not figure in the decision ... Sophomore LHP Aaron Pope (Chubbuck, Idaho/Highland HS) (ND) picked up his first victory in nearly three months as he earned the win in game three at CUI (4/30) ... Pope scattered three hits and two runs (one earned) with three strikeouts in 5.1 IP to run his record to 3-2 on the year.

UP NEXT: The winner of this week's regional will advance on to the 2016 NCAA Division II College World Series, which will be played May 28-through-June 4, in Cary, NC.