Dixie State used a pair of dominant pitching performances on its way to a pair of Opening Day victories against two different opponents Friday at Fiscalini Field. Senior righthander Jayden Murray and two relievers combined for a three-hit shutout of host Cal State San Bernardino in the opener, 11-0. The Trailblazers followed that up by just missing their second no-hitter in the program's NCAA era in a 4-1 triumph over Saint Martin's in the nightcap.

In the opener vs. CSUSB, the Trailblazers (2-0) broke into the scoring column in fourth inning when Braxton Ipson singled home Lane Pritchard, who led the frame off with a base hit and advanced to second on a Coyote error.

DSU struck for two more runs in the fifth on a clutch two-out, two-run hit from Brody Clifford. Alec Flemetakis and Tyler Hollow both reached on consecutive one-out singles to set the table for Clifford, who laced a 2-1 Tyler Williams offering back up the middle.

Dixie State added two unearned runs in the seventh and another in the eighth when Bryce Feist scored on the back end of a double-steal. DSU then put the game on ice with five ninth-inning runs, highlighted by a Jake Brown pinch-hit, two-run home run.

The run support was more than enough for Murray (W, 1-0), who struck out a career high-tying eight and surrendered only one hit in five shutout innings to win his season debut. Hollow went 3-for-6 with an RBI, while Clifford, Pritchard and Feist each collected two hits, as DSU rapped out 15 safeties in the opener. Meanwhile, the shutout win was DSU's first Opening Day shutout in the program's NCAA era.

Dixie State kept the momentum going in game two vs. Saint Martin's as the Trailblazers bolted out to a quick 2-0 first inning lead. Tyson Fisher got DSU on the with a run-scoring fly out in his first collegiate at bat, while Jake Engel made it a two-run game with a two-out hit to plate Feist.

The early runs bolstered the first collegiate start for sophomore lefthander Jack Gonzales (W, 1-0), who punched out five and held the Saints hitless through his first three innings. SMU had a chance to solve Gonzales in the home fourth when a lead-off error and hit batter put two Saints on the base paths with no outs. However the Blazer south paw struck out the next two SMU hitters he faced and induced an inning-ending foul out to escape further damage.

DSU would manufacture a run in the fifth to extend to a three-run cushion. Clifford led off the frame with a walk and would advance around to third on a bunt and past ball before Feist brought him home with a suicide squeeze. Engel then gave his side a 4-0 advantage an inning later with a one-out homer to left.

The Trailblazer bullpen took over from there as junior reliever Colton Harris struck out seven over 2.2 innings of spotless relief, while LHP Brandon Soucy worked around a two-walk walk to record DSU's 15^th strikeout of the game to close out the SMU seventh and keep DSU's no-hit bid intact. 

With two outs in the eighth, Saints infielder Isaac Hegamin beat out an infield single to drive in a run and spoil both the possible no-hitter and shut out bid. That would be the only hit and run SMU could muster as junior closer Brayden Bonner (S, 1) struck out the side in the ninth to complete the Friday sweep.

Engel led DSU's offense with two hits and the Trailblazers finished with five total hits in the game. However the story of the game, and the day overall, was the pitching as the Blazers' staff punched out an NCAA-era school record 18 total Saint hitters, to go along with the 12 strikeouts DSU had in the opener vs. CSUSB.

Dixie State will square off against Saint Martin's in game three of its season-opening weekend Saturday at 12 noon at Fiscalini Field.