Game Times (Mountain):
Thursday, May 18
Game 2 – 11:00 a.m.: (No. 2 seed) #9 Azusa Pacific vs. (No. 5 seed) # 15 California Baptist
Game 1 – 3:00 p.m.: (No. 1 seed) #3 Chico State vs. (No. 6 seed) Cal Poly Pomona
Game 3 – 7:00 p.m.: (No. 3 seed) #10 Dixie State vs. (No. 4 seed) #14 UC San Diego
 
Friday, May 19
Game 4 – 11:00 a.m.: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 (elimination game)
Game 5 – 3:00 p.m.: Winner Game 1 vs. Loser Game 3 (possible elimination game)
Game 6 – 7:00 p.m.: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3

Saturday, May 20
TBA

Monday, May 22
TBA

Game Notes: (DIXIE STATE - PDF)
NCAA West Region Tournament Central
Audio/Video: portal.stretchinternet.com/apu
Live Stats: portal.stretchinternet.com/apu
Twitter: @DixieAthletics | @Dixie_Base | #DixieBlazers | #PacWestBASE | #d2bsb
 
FIRST PITCH: No. 10 Dixie State (37-12-1/26-9-1 PacWest) begins its quest for a national championship this week as the Trailblazers travel to Azusa, Calif., for the 2017 NCAA Division II West Regionals. The tournament, hosted by fellow Pacific West Conference member #9 Azusa Pacific, will be held May 18-22, at the Cougar Baseball Complex on the APU campus.
    Dixie State, which was awarded the West Region's No. 3 seed, along with No. 2 seed APU (40-10) and No. 5 seed #15 California Baptist (34-16), will represent the Pacific West Conference in this year's West Regional field, while the other three schools hail from the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA).
    DSU will face No. 4 seed #14 UC San Diego (36-17) in the final game of the day on Thursday, May 18, at 7 p.m. (PT). APU and CBU will square off in the regional's opening game on Thursday at 11 a.m. (PT), followed by a match-up pitting top-seed #3 Chico State (45-9) and No. 6 seed and two-time defending West Region champion Cal Poly Pomona (33-20) at 3 p.m. (PT).
    The tourney will continue through Monday, May 22, with the winner advancing on to the 2017 NCAA Division II College World Series, which will be played May 27-through-June 3, in Grand Prairie, Texas.

DSU AT THE NCAA WEST REGIONALS: Dixie State earned its sixth-straight regional appearance when its name was called this past Sunday night. DSU's streak of six consecutive regional appearances is currently the longest active streak in the region, while the No. 3-seed designation is the second-highest seed in program history. DSU was awarded a program-best No. 2 seed in its first regional appearance in 2012 and again in 2016, while DSU was the No. 3 seed in 2013, the No. 5 seed in 2014, and the No. 4 seed 2015.
    Overall Dixie State is 7-10 in 17 NCAA postseason games, including a 2-2 record in 2016, and 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. UC San Diego will be the fourth-ever match-up between the Trailblazers and Tritons on the diamond, with DSU holding a 2-1 series advantage. All three previous meetings between the two programs have come at an NCAA West Regional, including two DSU victories over UCSD in 2012 (7-3 and 6-4) in Keizer, Ore., while the Tritons eliminated Dixie State from the 2015 regional with a 7-0 triumph in a game played in Walnut, Calif.  
    In all, DSU is 39-48 combined all-time against the tournament field (1-5 vs. CSU, 14-16 vs. APU, 17-18 vs. CBU, and 5-8 vs. CPP).

LAST TIME OUT: Dixie State closed the 2017 regular season with a series split at Azusa Pacific this past May 8-10. The Trailblazers, who needed to win three out of four in the series to clinch the PacWest title, got off of the right foot with a 6-4 victory in the series opener. However the Cougars would bounce back to take both ends of a twin bill (2-0 and 4-1) to claim the PacWest crown and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA regionals, though DSU managed to salvage the series split with a 4-3 win in the finale.

COACHING STAFF: Two-time Pacific West Conference Coach of the Year Chris Pfatenhauer is in his fifth season as head coach of the Dixie State Baseball program. Pfatenhauer led DSU to consecutive PacWest titles (2014 and 2015) and to five-straight trips (six-straight overall) to the NCAA West Regionals, including serving as the host institution in 2013. Pfatenhauer, who picked up his 200th-career coaching victory vs. Saint Martin's this past Feb. 19, owns a 177-79-1 (.689) overall record at DSU, including a 125-46-1 (.727) record in PacWest play, and a 229-138-1 (.622) career mark.
    Joining Pfatenhauer (UNLV, 2000) in the Trailblazer dugout this season is second-year pitching coach Michael Gargano (Walden University, 2013), along with third-year assistant coaches Matt Hill (Dixie State 2015), and Bobby Rinard (Arizona, 2014), and second-year assistant coach Patrick Perry (Northern Colorado, 2013).

DSU IN THE POLLS: Dixie State is ranked in the top-20 in all four national polls this week, including No. 7 in the D2 Baseball News poll (5/16), No. 8 in the latest Perfect Game D-II poll (5/3), No. 10 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll (5/15), and No. 16 in the latest NCBWA poll (5/16).

HOME SWEET HOME: Dixie State wrapped up its 2017 regular season home schedule with a 21-5 (.807) record, which included a pair of PacWest series sweeps vs. Point Loma (March 24-25) and Academy of Art (April 6-8) to close out the slate.  
    In all, DSU has played to a 224-82 (.807) overall record inside the friendly confines of Bruce Hurst Field since becoming an NCAA Division II program in 2006-07, and has posted a winning record at home in all 11 seasons of NCAA play. Dixie State has won 20 or more games in seven of those 11 seasons, including a 24-6 overall record (.800) in 2016, which was the second-best home mark in terms of wins in the program's NCAA Division II era (26-7 in 2009), and were the most home wins under Head Coach Chris Pfatenhauer, while this season's .807 winning percentage is the best in the Pfatenhauer era.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Dixie State has also held its own away from home as the Trailblazers are 16-7-1 on the road this season, which includes the CBU series win in March and two series wins in Hawai'i last month. In fact, DSU's 16 road victories are the most in program history since its move to NCAA play in 2007.
    DSU owns a 127-104-1 overall road record (.549) through its near 11 years of D-II competition with seven-straight winning road marks, including a 14-7 road record last season. In 2015, DSU went a program-best 15-5 on the road (.750), and DSU has won at least 10 road games in eight-straight seasons overall. When you also figure in neutral-site games (7-8 in 15 games), Dixie State is 134-112-1 (.544) all-time away from Bruce Hurst Field in NCAA play.

JUST WIN BABY: Dixie State extended its streak of winning 30 or more games to nine-straight seasons while on the Islands last month. In fact, DSU has won 35 of more games in four of those seasons, including three of the last four years under Head Coach Chris Pfatenhauer. In addition, the 37 regular season games won this season is the second-most in program history. Last season DSU won a school-record 38 regular season games en route to a four-year program record 40 victories overall (40-14). DSU's record-breaking season was bolstered by a 10-0 start to begin the season, its best overall start in the program's 10-year NCAA-era.
    DSU is 358-194-1 (.647) overall record in 10-plus years of NCAA Division II competition (549 games). The Trailblazers won its 300th game as a four-year program in the second game of a doubleheader at Holy Names on March 18, 2016. In addition, DSU recorded its 30th win of the 2016 season in game No. 38 (at PLNU - 4/8), which was the fastest the program had won 30 games in a season in DSU's four-year era.
    In PacWest play, the Trailblazers are just as dominant as DSU has played to a 206-93-1 overall record (.687) in an even 300 league games with four conference titles (2009, 2011, 2014, 2015) in nine years of league membership.

DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK....: Dixie State posted the biggest comeback in the program's NCAA-era with its 14-12 victory in game two at California Baptist this past March 17. The Trailblazers entered the eighth inning trailing 12-3, only to rally for nine eighth-inning runs, followed by a two-run ninth to clinch the win.
    Prior to that comeback win, the largest deficit Dixie State had overcome in its NCAA-era was a six-run deficit done twice, the first instance coming in a 13-12 win at NCAA Division I member Utah Valley (down 12-6) on April 21, 2007, and again at home last season in a 7-6 victory over Azusa Pacific (down 6-0; 4/16/16).

DSU LANDS 11 ON PACWEST POSTSEASON LIST: Dixie State landed nine players on the 2017 All-Pacific West Conference Baseball Team, as announced on Monday by the conference office. The Trailblazers had four players named to the PacWest first team, highlighted by senior utility player Drew McLaughlin and senior centerfielder Trey Kamachi, along with senior infielders Tyler Baker and Tyler Mildenberg. Three more Trailblazers were voted to the second team, including senior starting pitcher Mason Hilty, junior starter Dylan File and sophomore infielder Bryce Feist (Emmett, Idaho/Rocky Mountain HS), while junior catcher Jake Davison (Taylorsville, Utah/Taylorsville HS) and junior first baseman Logan Porter (Surprise, Ariz./Valley Vista HS) landed on the league's third team.
    McLaughlin, who also earned first team all-PacWest honors in 2016 and 2015 and was second team pick in 2014, led all DSU starters with a .401 batting average in 45 games played and finished the regular season second the PacWest in doubles (17). McLaughlin, who split time both in left field and at second base, hit safely in 35 games with 24 multi-hit outings overall, including seven-straight games, and closed the regular season on a 10-game hitting streak. He finished the regular season with two triples, one home run, 23 RBI, 38 runs scored and six stolen bases. McLaughlin is Dixie State's career leader in hits (286) and runs (181), second in career stolen bases (31) and fourth in batting (.360). In addition to his postseason honors, he was voted 2017 PacWest Preseason Player of the Year, named to the preseason all-PacWest team, and earned NCBWA All-West Region and Preseason Third Team All-America honors.  
    Kamachi, who was a 2017 Preseason all-PacWest pick, started in all 50 games played in center field and was a two-time PacWest Player of the Week honoree (2/22 and 3/22). He finished the regular season as the PacWest leader in base hits (76) and is ranked in the top-five in the PacWest in batting (.394), runs (55), triples (4), RBI (40) and stolen bases (19-24). Kamachi hit safely in 43 games with 20 two-hit outings, including seven-straight games in February, and collected two or more hits in 26 games overall with four three hit games and one four-hit outing. He drove in at least one run in 29 games and drove in 28 of his 40 RBI in PacWest play. Kamachi also got the job done in the outfield as he currently owns a .992 fielding percentage and has committed just one error in 131 total chances with two outfield. Kamachi also earned third team all-PacWest honors in 2016 and was voted PacWest Newcomer of the Year in 2014.
    Baker started in all 49 games played at shortstop and has hit safely in 38 of those outings, including 16 multi-hit outings with 10 two-hit games and six three-hit starts. Earlier this season vs. Academy of Art (4/7), he broke DSU's single-season stolen base record (20-24) and is third on the team in doubles (12) and runs scored (53), to go with a .312 batting average and 29 RBI. Baker also owns a .944 fielding percentage and has helped turn 18 double plays.
    Mildenberg started in 48 of 50 games played and was named PacWest Player of the Week Feb. 6. He co-leads the PacWest in triples (5) and is ranked in the top-six in the conference in batting (.379), runs (55), hits (66) and RBI (44). Mildenberg hit safely in 38 games with 18 multi-hit outings, including five three-hit games, one four-hit outing and a career-best 5-for-5 day with four RBI and three runs scored in a win vs. Holy Names (3/5). Mildenberg, who split time at both third base and second base, also helped turn 19 double plays during the regular season.
    Hilty, who earned 2017 NCBWA Preseason All-West Region and Honorable Mention All-America honors, leads the PacWest in complete games (5) and ShO (3) and is ranked in the PacWest's top-six in wins (9-3) and strikeouts (66 in 92.1 IP). Hilty was a three-time PacWest Pitcher of the Week (2/27, 4/4, 5/1) honoree and two time NCBWA West Region Pitcher of the Week selection. Two of Hilty's three complete-game shutouts came in PacWest play, including a six-hit shutout win over Academy of Art (4/7) with four strikeouts, followed by a seven-inning three-hitter with seven strikeouts in the series finale at Hawai'i Hilo (4/26). He surrendered only four earned runs in his final five PacWest starts, a span of 40 innings of work, and went 6-2 overall in PacWest play with 49 of his 66 strikeouts coming against conference opponents. Last season, Hilty earned 2016 PacWest Newcomer of Year and second team all-PacWest honors after breaking DSU's single-season record for victories (10).
    File, who was voted 2017 PacWest Co-Pitcher of the Year and was named to the preseason all-conference team, finished the regular season ranked in the PacWest's top-five in wins (8-1), CG (4), ShO (2) and strikeouts (68 in 84.1 IP).  File went 6-1 against PacWest opponents with a 2.97 ERA and recorded 45 of his 68 strikeouts in league play, while holding opposing hitters to a .215 average. Two of his four complete games came in PacWest play, including a four-hit shutout win over Point Loma (3/24). He also struck out a career-high 11 in a three-hit complete-game shutout of Montana State Billings (2/24), and fanned eight in 6.2 IP in a win at California Baptist (3/16). File, who became DSU's career leader in wins (20) and strikeouts (186) in a victory at Hawai'i Hilo (4/26), also earned third team all-PacWest in 2016 and was voted PacWest Freshman of the Year in 2015.
    Feist played in 36 games with 31 starts and batted .359 with six doubles, two homers, 20 RBI and 24 runs scored. He hit safely in 22 of 36 games played with 10 multi-hit games, including a pair of four-hit outings, highlighted by a 4-for-5 day with two RBI in a win at Hawai'i Hilo (4/26). Feist also went 4-for-4 with three runs scored in a home win over Saint Martin's (2/19).
    Davison started in 33 of 40 games played and batted .339 with seven doubles, four home runs, 28 RBI and 25 runs scored. He reached base safely in 28 of his last 32 games to close the regular season, and collected at least one base hit in 22 of his last 26 starts overall. In addition, Davison drove in at least one run in 17 games, highlighted by a five RBI game in a win at Hawai'i Hilo (4/25), and collected 24 of his 28 RBI in PacWest play. Behind the plate, Davison posted a .978 fielding percentage and threw out seven of 22 potential base stealers.
    Porter started in all 50 games played with 48 starts at first base and was named PacWest Player of the Week March 6. He closed the regular season second in the conference and ninth-nationally in RBI (66), and is three RBI shy of breaking DSU's single season record. Porter also finished the regular season as the conference leader in doubles (18) and is ranked in the top-seven in the PacWest in batting (.387), hits (67), HR (8), and walks (31). He reached base safely in 47 of 50 games played, 41 of those occasions via base hit, and recorded 18 multi-hit games with eight three-hit outings. In addition, Porter posted a team-high 18 multi-RBI games with 10 three-RBI games and two five-RBI starts (vs. Holy Names 3/4 and vs. Concordia-Irvine 3/11), and drove in 48 of his 66 RBI in PacWest play. Porter also did the job with the glove as he posted a .989 fielding percentage with just five errors in 442 total chances.

TEAM NOTES: Dixie State was saddled with its first tie in the program's NCAA era due to a travel curfew in the series finale at Hawai'i Pacific (4/23) ... DSU had played 544 games through its near 11-years of NCAA membership prior to that team no-decision.
    Dixie State posted one of its most dominant series performances in the program's NCAA-era vs. Academy of Art (4/6-8/17) as the Trailblazers outscored the Urban Knights by a 34-5 count in the four-game sweep ... the combined 29-run edge was the third-highest margin of victory in a four-game sweep in program history behind a 36-run margin set vs. Colorado Christian in 2007 (44-8; 2/16-17/07), and a school-record 46-run margin vs. AAU (52-6; 3/16-17) in 2009 ... In addition, the five runs allowed also broke the school record for fewest runs allowed in a four-game series ... the previous series low was six runs set three times, including two occasions vs. Academy of Art (2013 and 2009) and in DSU's last visit to Hilo (2015).
    DSU recorded back-to-back shutout victories in this year's AAU series, which marked third time in the program's four-year era (all at home) that the Trailblazers accomplished that feat ... DSU also posted consecutive ShO wins in a three-game set vs. Cal State Los Angeles (7-0 and 11-0; 4/18-19) in 2014, and vs. AAU (13-0 and 10-0; 3/16) in 2009.
    Dixie State saw its streak of scoring at least one run in a game halted in DSU's 2-0 game two of the APU series this past May 9 ... DSU had scored in each of its previous 101 games over the span of nearly two full seasons ... Prior to that loss, the last time DSU was shut out was in the final game of the 2015 season (5/16), a 7-0 loss to UC San Diego in an NCAA West Region elimination game played in Walnut, Calif.
    DSU's pitching staff posted a combined 3.38 ERA in the APU series and held the potent Cougar offense to a .254 series average ... However DSU's offense only managed to score 11 runs (outscored 13-11 overall) and hit .248 in the series ... as a whole DSU owns a 3.70 ERA, which is good for 27th-nationally.
    DSU has outscored its opponents by a combined 329-172 over the last 42 games and by a 387-215 clip overall this season ... DSU has stolen 73 bases this year (73-for-100), which good for second all-time in the program's D-II era and is now three shy of eclipsing the program's single season record of 75 set in 2013.
    DSU leads the PacWest in hits (565 - 21st-nationally) and runs (387 - 32nd-nationally), averaging 7.7 runs (23rd-nationally) and 11.3 hits per game through 50 games this season ... Dixie State enters play this week FOURTH the nation in batting (.343), second in sacrifice bunts (65), third in sacrifice flies (37), eighth in OB% (.421) and 14th in fielding percentage (.972).
    Eight of the nine every day starters in the Trailblazers lineup are batting over .310, while Dixie State boasts four of the top six hitters in the PacWest Conference overall (Drew McLaughlin #2 .401; Trey Kamachi #4 .394; Logan Porter (Surprise, Ariz./Valley Vista HS) #5 .387; Tyler Mildenberg #6 .379).
    Three of Dixie State's four starting pitchers have won six or more games, led by senior RHP Mason Hilty (9-3, 2.83 ERA) and 2017 PacWest Preseason Pitcher of the Year Dylan File (8-1, 3.52 ERA), while junior left hander Matt Mosca (Las Vegas, Nev./Cimarron Memorial HS) is 6-2 with a 3.84 ERA.
    Dixie State's 12-inning series opener vs. Colorado Mesa (2/10) was the longest game in terms of innings played since April 23, 2015, when DSU and Azusa Pacific needed 12 innings to decide an 8-7 Trailblazer victory ... DSU to 27-13 (.675) all-time in 40 total extra-inning games in the program's four-year era.

NEXT UP FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS: The winner of this week's regional will advance on to the 2017 NCAA Division II College World Series, which will be played May 27-through-June 3, in Grand Prairie, Texas.