Game Times (Mountain):
Friday - 3 p.m.
Saturday - 1 p.m.
Sunday - 12 noon
Game Notes: DIXIE STATE - PDF | CSUSM
Audio/Video: at CSUSM
Live Stats: at CSUSM
Twitter: @DixieAthletics | @Dixie_Base | #DixieBlazers | #RMACbase | #d2Baseball
 
PROBABLE STARTERS:
Friday (G1) – RHP Justin Dunham (DSU debut) vs. RHP Garrett Apker (*2019 - 4-4, 4.14 ERA)
Saturday (G2) – LHP Jack Gonzales (*2019 - 6-3, 5.59 ERA) vs. RHP Dylan Wannamaker (*2019 - 3-2, 4.53 ERA)
Sunday (G3) – LHP Tevita Gerber (*2019 - 3-1, 6.56 ERA) vs. RHP Jeremy Wiegman (CSUSM debut)

FIRST PITCH: Dixie State (0-0/0-0 RMAC) kicks off its final season of NCAA Division II play with a seven-game SoCal road swing, which begins this weekend with a three-game series at Cal State San Marcos (0-0). DSU's "Opening Day" will be this Friday against the Cougars at 2 p.m. (PT), followed by game two Saturday at 12 noon (PT), and the series finale will be played on Sunday at 11 a.m. (PT). All three games will be played at the CSUSM Baseball Field (1,000) in San Marcos, Calif.

ALL-TIME SERIES: This weekend's series vs. CSUSM will be the first-ever meeting between the Trailblazers and Cougars on the diamond. 

QUICK 2018 RECAP: Dixie State wrapped up the 2019 season with a 35-19 overall record, which was a 10-win improvement from the 2018 campaign, and included a 23-13 mark and a third-place finish in its first season of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.

COACHING STAFF: Two-time Pacific West Conference Coach of the Year Chris Pfatenhauer begins his eighth season as head coach of the Dixie State Baseball program. Since his arrival in summer of 2012, Pfatenhauer has never had a losing season at Dixie State, and in the process, led the Trailblazers to consecutive PacWest titles in 2014 and 2015, and to five-straight trips to the NCAA West Regionals from 2013-17, including serving as the host institution in 2013.
    Pfatenhauer, who picked up his 200th victory as DSU skipper in the series opener at Concordia-Irvine (8-1; 4/26/18), owns a 239-125-1 (.655) overall record at DSU, and a 291-184-1 (.612) career mark.
    Joining Pfatenhauer (UNLV, 2000) in the Trailblazer dugout this season is first-year pitching coach Zach Wilkins (Nevada, 2016), along with sixth-year assistant coaches Matt Hill (Dixie State 2015), and Bobby Rinard (Arizona, 2014).

DSU IN THE POLLS: Dixie State opens the new season ranked 17th in the Perfect Game 2020 Division II preseason top-25 poll, while the Blazers received votes in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper top-40 preseason rankings, but did not garner any votes in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) national preseason poll.
    The NCBWA also released its 2020 NCAA Division II South Central Region preseason poll earlier week, in which the Trailblazers are ranked fifth heading into the opening weekend.  
     DSU also landed four players on the NCBWA preseason all-region teams, highlighted a preseason first team All-America designation for senior 1B/OF/DH Jake Engel. Engel, along with senior closer Brayden Bonner, also earned first team all-region honors, while junior 2B Tyler Hollow (second-straight year) and sophomore 3B Tyson Fisher were named to the second team.

TRAILBLAZERS VOTED SECOND IN RMAC PRESEASON POLL: Dixie State was picked to finish second in the 2020 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference baseball preseason coaches' poll released on Wednesday.
    Defending RMAC regular season and tournament champion, and 2019 D-II national runner-up Colorado Mesa collected nine of a possible 10 first place votes to claim the top spot in the poll with 81 points, while DSU received one first place nod and 68 points. Colorado School of Mines tallied 63 points to finish third in the poll, followed by UCCS (55 pts) in fourth and MSU Denver (53 pts) in fifth to round out the top-half of the 10-team poll.

LAST SEASON IN THE RMAC: After joining the RMAC in 2018, the 2020 season will mark the second and final season the Trailblazers will be a competing member of the conference. In the upcoming 2020-21 season, Dixie State will begin its transition to NCAA Division I status and will become a new member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). 

IT'S OPENING DAY: Dixie State is 8-5 all-time on "Opening Day" during the program's Division II era and has won four-straight and eight of its last 10 season debuts overall, including an 11-0 shutout win at Cal State San Bernardino to begin the 2019 campaign.
    In addition, DSU is 7-6 all-time in road openers, and the Blazers are 4-2 in season-opening road games overall. On the flip side, Dixie State owns an 8-5 overall record in home openers.

HOME SWEET HOME: Dixie State closed its 2019 home slate by winning seven of its final eight games to clinch its 13-straight home winning record since becoming an NCAA Division II program in 2007. The Trailblazers have played to a 262-98 (.728) overall record in 360 games played inside the friendly confines of Bruce Hurst Field in the program's NCAA era, including a 21-7 mark (.750) this season.
    Dixie State has won 20 or more games in eight of 13 seasons at home, including 21-5 (.807) record in 2017, and a 24-6 mark (.800) in 2016, which was the second-best home record in terms of wins in the program's NCAA Division II era (26-7 in 2009). The 24 home wins that year were the most under Head Coach Chris Pfatenhauer, while the .807 winning percentage in 2017 was the best W% during the Pfatenhauer era.
    In PacWest play, DSU was 126-44 (.741) all-time at Bruce Hurst Field and won 10 or more games in each of those 10 seasons, including 13 league wins in 2018 and 14 victories in both the 2016 and 2017 seasons. The Trailblazers continued that trend in their RMAC debut as they played to a 13-3 home record (.812) in league games.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Despite going 4-8 over its last 12 road games, Dixie State has held its own away from home as the Trailblazers own a 146-131-1 overall road record (.527) through 13 years of D-II competition, which included an 11-11 mark last season. DSU has posted a winning road record in seven of their last nine seasons overall, highlighted by a 16-7-1 road mark in 2017. The 16 road wins were the most in program history since its move to NCAA play in 2007.
    In 2015, DSU went a program-best 15-5 on the road (.750), and DSU has won at least 10 road games in eight of it last nine seasons overall. When you also figure in neutral-site games (12-11 in 23 games), Dixie State is 158-142-1 (.526) all-time away from Bruce Hurst Field in the program's NCAA era.

JUST WIN BABY: The Trailblazers have reached the 30-win plateau 10 times in the last 11 seasons overall, which included nine-straight seasons (2009-17), however that streak was halted in 2018 when the Blazers posted an even 25-25 mark.
    In fact, DSU has won 35 of more games in four of the last six campaigns under Head Coach Chris Pfatenhauer, highlighted by 39 wins in 2017 and a four-year program record 40 victories (40-14) in 2016, The 2016 campaign also included a record-breaking 10-0 start to begin the season, which was the best overall start in the program's NCAA-era.

HERE'S TO THE NEXT 400: Dixie State picked up its 400th win in the program's NCAA era in the series opener vs. UCCS (6-1) on March 16, 2019. DSU is 420-240-1 (.636) all-time through 13 years of NCAA Division II competition (661 games).

A DECADE OF DOMINANCE: Dixie State closed out the 2010-19 decade as one of the most all-around successful programs in the NCAA Division II ranks. DSU posted a 337-179-1 (.653) overall record and captured three Pacific West Conference championships (2011/2014/2015) over that 10-year span.
    In addition, the program earned six-straight NCAA Tournament regional berths from 2012-17, and recorded 30 or more wins in nine of 10 seasons overall, including five 35-plus win campaigns.  
    Dixie State was just as tough in conference play as the program finished the decade with a .666 overall winning percentage against league opponents, which included a 227-112-1 mark in PacWest play (.669), and a 23-13 (.639) RMAC record in 2019.

FREE BASEBALL: The Trailblazers played in one extra inning games last season, which resulted in an 8-5 loss in eight innings to Regis (4/19/19). Dating back to the 2016 season, the Trailblazers have won five of their last seven extra inning games overall, and are 31-15 (.674) in 46 total extra-inning games in the program's four-year era.

2020 SEASON PREVIEW: Dixie State returns eight starting position players, two starting pitchers, and 21 total letter winners and six redshirts from a 2019 squad that finished the year 35-19.

FROM POLE TO POLE: Dixie State returns two of its three starting outfielders from a season ago, including senior RF Lane Pritchard (Red Bluff, Calif./Red Bluff HS/Butte CC) and junior CF Jagun Leavitt (St. George, Utah/Pine View HS). Pritchard led DSU with 61 runs scored last season while batting .358 with seven homers, 28 RBI and a team-high 15 stolen bases en route to second team all-RMAC honors. Meanwhile Leavitt is back to full strength after battling through an injury-plagued sophomore campaign where he hit .246 with five RBI.
    Senior Jake Brown (Mesa, Ariz./Highland HS/Central Arizona CC/BYU) is slated to be the Opening Cay starter in left field. Brown started in 19 of 40 games played and batted .254 with three home runs and 15 RBI. Sophomore redshirts Ben Petty-Hull (5-7; San Diego, Calif./La Jolla Country Day HS) and Drake Benner (6-1; Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad HS), along with newcomers Brady Brook (Jr., 5-10; Spanish Fork, Utah/Spanish Fork HS) and Landon Levine (Fr., 6-0; St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS) could also figure into the outfield rotation during the season.

AROUND THE HORN: The Trailblazers welcome back virtually the same starting infield from a season ago, anchored by senior All-American 1B Jake Engel (Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge HS). Engel, who will also see time at DH and in the outfield, was a 2019 First Team NCBWA and D2CCA, and Third Team ABCA/Rawlings, All-America selection after he finished in the top-10 in almost every RMAC statistical category last season on his way to first team all-conference honors.
    He batted .385 with a team-highs of 14 home runs and 52 RBI, and finished with 72 total base hits, including eight doubles and three triples to go with 56 runs scored. Engel hit safely in 42 of 53 games last season, including all four RMAC tournament games, during which he hit an even .500 (8-for-16) with one double, one homer and five RBI en route to earning all-tournament honors. The senior also collected at least one hit in 27 of 32 RMAC games and hit .372 against conference opponents (45-for-121) with two triples, eight homers and 35 RBI.
    Additionally, fellow senior 1B Braxton Ipson (St. George, Utah/Dixie HS/BYU) is back and will figure into the mix at the position. Ipson enjoyed a breakout 2019 season, during which he hit .302 in 43 games (40 starts) with 10 doubles, four homers and 30 runs driven in. The senior hit safely in 10 of his final 14 starts and reached base safely in 13 of those final games, and drove in nine of his 30 runs over that stretch.  
    On the other corner, sophomore 3B Tyson Fisher (6-4; St. George, Utah/Dixie HS) will look to pick up right where he left off after a stellar collegiate debut season that saw him earn 2019 RMAC Freshman of the Year honors. Fisher led DSU in extra-base hits (27) and finished the regular season in the top-20 in almost every RMAC statistical category.
    He batted .363 with 14 doubles, a team-high five triples and eight home runs 48 starts. The sophomore also drove in 41 runs with 49 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. In addition, Fisher became the first player in the program's NCAA era to hit for the cycle in the series finale at New Mexico Highlands (3/24/19).
    Up the middle, junior 2B Tyler Hollow (6-0; Boise, Idaho/Rocky Mountain HS) is back after earning second team all-RMAC recognition a season ago. Hollow hit .360 with team-highs of 16 doubles and 52 RBI, along with four home runs, 40 runs scored and six stolen bases. He hit safely in 41 of 53 games played with 19 multi-hit outings, and ended the season with an eight-game hit streak.
    Junior shortstop Alec Flemetakis (5-10; Hurricane, Utah/Hurricane HS) is back healthy following an injury-riddled sophomore season, during which he hit .377 in 29 games (22 starts) with a pair of doubles and 12 RBI.
    DSU also returns sophomore 2B Zach Thomas (5-11; Lakewood, Calif./Cantwell Sacred Heart of Mary HS - .375/1 2B/1 RBI) and redshirt freshman 2B Trey Allred (5-10; St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS), while junior college transfer SS Tanner Argyle (5-10; Spanish Fork, Utah/Spanish Fork HS) and freshman SS Jake Schulz (6-0; Prescott, Ariz./Prescott HS) will look to make an immediate impact.  

THE BACKSTOP: DSU will carry four catchers this season, three of whom are returnees from last season - seniors Cade Spurlin (5-11; Santa Clarita, Calif./West Ranch HS/LA Mission CC) and Braden Stutzman (5-10; Twin Falls, Idaho/Twins Falls HS), and redshirt junior Tanner Harper (6-0; Paul, Idaho/Minico HS).
    Spurlin started in 46 of 50 games (8 at DH) last season hit a team-best .387 with 14 doubles, six home runs and 42 RBI. The senior hit safely in 39 of 50 games played, including eight-straight and 16 of his final 17 starts overall to close out 2019.
    Meanwhile Stutzman, who could also see time in the outfield, hit .220 in 28 games (11 starts) with one homer and nine RBI, and Harper batted .171 with a homer and six RBI in 29 games (five starts). Freshman Kaden Hollow (6-1; Meridian, Idaho/Rocky Mountain HS), younger brother of Tyler Hollow, will also compete for time behind the dish and will figure into the DH rotation. 

THE ROTATION: Dixie State welcomes back two starting pitchers from last year's squad - junior LHP Jack Gonzales (6-3; Oceanside, Calif./El Camino HS) and redshirt senior RHP Preston Hannay (6-3; Murray, Utah/Murray HS). Gonzales, who is slated to start game two at CSUSM on Saturday, finished second on the staff in wins (6-3) and strikeouts (51 in 58.0 IP) and posted a 5.59 ERA in 13 starts, while Hannay started 13 games and went 5-3 with 45 Ks and a 6.14 ERA in 58.2 IP.
    Senior southpaw Tevita Gerber (6-3; Salt Lake City, Utah/Cottonwood HS/UNLV), who will start in CSUSM series finale on Sunday, appeared in 14 games with five starts in his first season as a Trailblazer and finished with 33 strikeouts in 35.2 innings of work.
    Junior transfer RHP Justin Dunham (6-3; San Juan Capistrano, Calif./San Juan HS/Irvine Valley CC) will be Dixie State's Opening Day starter on Friday at CSUSM. Last season at Irvine Valley CC, Dunham earned 2019 Orange Empire Conference second team honors after he went 5-5 with a 2.08 ERA and 52 strikeouts to just nine total walks in 73.2 IP.

CALL TO THE PEN: DSU returns four relievers and three redshirts from a bullpen unit last season that combined to post 13 of DSU's 35 wins and 12 saves.
    Senior righthander Brayden Bonner (6-4; Murray, Utah/Murray HS) is coming off a banner 2019 season as the team's closer, during which he earned second team all-RMAC recognition and finished second in the conference with eight saves (t-8th on DSU season list) to go with a 4-1 overall record and 41 strikeouts in 35.2 IP.
    Fellow seniors Colton Harris (6-2; Murray, Utah/Murray HS/Yakima Valley CC) and Mason Foltz (6-2; Pocatello, Idaho/Highland HS/College of Southern Idaho) will also be looked upon to fill late inning set-up roles. Harris appeared in 18 games out of the bullpen and led the Blazer staff last season with a 3.70 ERA to go with a 4-2 record, one save and 24 strikeouts, while Foltz was second only to Bonner in appearances (19 APP/1GS) and struck out 28 in 40.2 IP.
    Junior RHP Jimmy Borzone (6-4; Vancouver, Wash./Union HS; 2019: 1-0/8.31 ERA/13 K) and redshirt freshmen Dillon Holliday (6-3; Moorpark, Calif./Moorpark HS), Sam Clow (6-0; Mesa, Ariz./Red Mountain HS) and Ethan Fowlks (6-5; South Jordan, Utah/Bingham HS) will provide bullpen depth, as will juco transfers Haiden Hendricks (RHP, 6-4; Queen Creek, Ariz./Queen Creek HS/Paradise Valley CC) and Zach Hansen (RHP, 6-3; Smithfield, Utah/Sky View HS/Arizona Western JC), and freshman Benton Hart (LHP, 6-2; Lakeside, Calif./Santana HS).

NEXT UP FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS: Dixie State continues its SoCal road swing with a four-game trip to Los Angeles next weekend. The Trailblazers will play two games against Northwest Nazarene on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7-8, followed by a quick two-game series vs. host Cal State LA later that Saturday and on Sunday, Feb. 9.