Game Times (Mountain):
Friday - 7 p.m.
Sunday (DH) - 12 noon
Game Notes: DIXIE STATE - PDF | CU-P
Audio/Video: NONE
Live Stats: vs. CU-P
Twitter: @DixieAthletics | @Dixie_Baseball | #DixieBlazers | #RMACbase | #D2Baseball
 
PROBABLE STARTERS:
Friday (G1) – RHP Justin Dunham (2-0, 1.29 ERA) vs. LHP Sasha Jabusch (0-2, 4.91 ERA)
Sunday (G2) – LHP Jack Gonzales (1-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. RHP Ryan Gibson (0-0, 1.80 ERA)
Sunday (G3) – LHP Tevita Gerber (2-0, 2.81 ERA) vs. LHP Kaleb Strawn (0-2, 14.09 ERA)

FIRST PITCH: No. 16 Dixie State (9-2/0-0 RMAC) continues its 11-game homestand this weekend with a three-game set vs. Concordia-Portland (0-6) at Bruce Hurst Field. Due to rain forecasted for St. George on Saturday, game one of the series will be played on Friday night at 7 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 12 noon.   
 
ALL-TIME SERIES: Dixie State and Concordia-Portland have met just one other time on the diamond, that occasion came during the 2017 season when the Trailblazers posted a 17-0 victory (2/16/17) over the Cavaliers at Bruce Hurst Field.

LAST TIME OUT: The Trailblazers opened the home portion of their 2020 schedule with a series split vs. former Pacific West Conference rival Azusa Pacific last weekend at Bruce Hurst Field. DSU won the first two games of the series in one-run affairs, 8-7 in series opener on Feb. 13, before rallying for a dramatic 4-3 victory in the first game of a Valentine's Day twin bill on a walk-off, two-run homer from senior All-American Jake Engel. APU came back to take the nightcap later in the day, 12-1, and clinched the series split with an 11-8 triumph in the finale last Saturday. 

COACHING STAFF: Two-time Pacific West Conference Coach of the Year Chris Pfatenhauer is 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 248-127-1 (.661) overall record at DSU, and a 300-186-1 (.617) 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).

PFATENHAUER PASSES ONE MILESTONE, LOOKS FOR ANOTHER THIS WEEKEND: Head Coach Chris Pfatenhauer enters this weekend's series vs. CU-P with a chance to surpass his second career milestone in as many weeks as the Blazer skipper now stands two wins shy of notching his 250th victory in the Trailblazer dugout.
    In game two last weekend vs. Azusa Pacific, Coach Pfate reached the 300-win plateau in his stellar career in DSU's walk-off win vs. the Cougars.
    Coach Pfatenhauer is also inching closer to two more career milestones, which he will surpass later this season. He is on pace to coach in his 500th-career game when the Trailblazers take the field in the first game of a home Saturday DH vs. New Mexico Highlands on March 21. Additionally, Coach Pfate is slated coach in his 400th game as Dixie State skipper at home in the series opener vs. MSU Denver on Thursday, April 9.

DSU IN THE POLLS: Dixie State's 9-2 start to the 2020 season vaulted the Trailblazers No. 16 in the first National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) in-season national poll, which was released on Wednesday. The NCBWA also released its latest NCAA Division II South Central Region Top-10 poll this past Monday, in which the Trailblazers moved up two spots to No. 3 overall.  
    DSU began 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, though new rankings have not been released yet by either publication.  
    Dixie State 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 Jan. 29.
    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). 

OPENING DAY: With its 14-7 season-opening win at Cal State San Marcos (1/31), Dixie State improved to 9-5 all-time on "Opening Day" during the program's Division II era. The Blazers have now won five-straight and nine of their last 11 season debuts overall.
    In addition, DSU is 8-6 all-time in road openers, and the Blazers are 5-2 in season-opening road games overall. Meanwhile, Dixie State owns an 9-5 overall record in home openers after its 8-7 triumph over Azusa Pacific on Feb. 13.

HOW SWEEP IT IS: Dixie State's sweep at Cal State San Marcos two weeks ago was the program's third season-opening series sweep in the last five years, and was the fifth season-opening sweep in the program's NCAA era overall.
    Three of the five sweeps have come on the road, including the last instance, a four-game sweep at Cal State San Bernardino in 2017, and a four-game sweep at Academy of Art to open the 2012 campaign. DSU also posted a four-game sweep of San Bernardino at Bruce Hurst Field in 2016, and recorded a two-game home sweep of Colorado Mesa in a rain-shortened series (scheduled for four games) in 2010.

IT'S NOT HOW YOU START....: For the second time in the program's NCAA era, Dixie State opened a season with at least nine-straight victories, which included seven-straight on the road to kick off 2020, which marked the first time in program history that the Trailblazers had started any season with seven-straight wins AWAY FROM HOME.
    In 2016, Dixie State began that season with 10-straight wins, all of which came inside the friendly confines of Bruce Hurst Field, on its way to a school record 40 victories overall.

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 (21-7, .750) since becoming an NCAA Division II program in 2007. The Trailblazers have played to a 264-100 (.725) overall record in 364 games played inside the friendly confines of Bruce Hurst Field in the program's NCAA era, including a 2-2 mark (.500) after four games 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: Dixie State has held its own away from home as the Trailblazers own a 151-131-1 overall road record (.535) through 13-plus years of D-II competition, which includes a 7-0 start this season, and 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 beginning 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 (14-11 in 25 games), Dixie State is 165-142-1 (.537) 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 429-242-1 (.639) all-time through 13-plus years of NCAA Division II competition (672 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.

FROM POLE TO POLE: Senior 1B/OF/DH Jake Engel (.442/4 HR/15 RBI) extended his hitting streak to a career-best 16-straight games (dating back to the final five games of 2019) and batted a team-high .429 (6-for-14) in four starts vs. APU last weekend ... three of Engel's six hits on the weekend left the yard, starting with a two-homer game in the opener ... the senior got DSU on the board with a two-run shot in the first inning, then hit what turned out to be a game-winner with an eighth-inning solo shot in the 8-7 result ... Engel would officially connect on a game-winner in game two as he capped a late Blazer rally with a two-run walk-off blast ... Engel's walk-off was the first GWHR since Tyson Fisher went yard vs. MSU Billings nearly one year ago to the day (10-8; 2/24/19), and moved the senior slugger into a tie for fourth place on DSU's career HR list (20).
    Senior RF Lane Pritchard (.409/2 HR/9 RBI) hit .294 (5-for-17) in the APU series with a double, triple and three RBI ... Senior CF Braden Stutzman (.343/1 HR/6 RBI) batted .273 (3-for-11) in four starts vs. APU, which included his first DSU triple as part of a 3-for-4 day in the finale.

AROUND THE HORN: Sophomore 3B Tyson Fisher (.385/2 HR/9 RBI) will look to rebound after batting just .083 (1-for-12) with one RBI, three stolen bases (3-for-3 SB) and a run scored in four starts vs. APU ... Fisher was named RMAC Offensive Player of the Week after batting .636 (7-for-11) with four extra base hits, five RBI and three runs scored in the Cal State San Marcos series.
    Junior 2B Tyler Hollow (.366/0 HR/11 RBI) extended his hitting streak to a career-high nine games after he hit safely in all four starts vs. APU last weekend ... Hollow batted .267 (4-for-15) in the series, highlighted by a big sixth-inning, run-scoring double in G2 that broke up a possible APU no-hit/shutout bid ... Hollow finished with two doubles and three RBI in the series.   
    Junior SS Alec Flemetakis (.267/0 HR/4 RBI) started all four games in the APU series and hit .250 (3-for-12) with an RBI and two runs scored.
    Junior 1B/C Tanner Harper (.355/1 HR/7 RBI) was held hitless in nine ABs over four games (three starts) vs. APU, though he did drive in a run and had two runs scored.

THE BACKSTOP: Senior Cade Spurlin (.278/2 HR/10 RBI) has batted .320 over his last eight games, including a .333 clip (4-for-12) in four starts vs. APU last weekend ... Spurlin legged out two doubles and drove in a run over the four-game set ... Spurlin shook off the rocky start to his 2020 campaign in a big way in Los Angeles two weeks ago as he hit .308 (4-for-13) with a team-high seven RBI and five runs scored ... all four of Spurlin's hits went for extra bases, including DSU's first two triples of the year, which came in each game of the NNU/CSULA split DH (2/8) ... Spurlin also homered in G1 vs. NNU (2/7), a third-inning three-run blast to get DSU on the board, and belted an eighth-inning solo shot in the Sunday finale at CSULA (2/12).

THE ROTATION: Junior RHP Justin Dunham (2-0/1.29 ERA/13 K), who will start G1 Friday vs. Concordia-Portland, won for the second time in as many starts in last Thursday's opener vs. APU, against which he scattered four hits and one run over 6.0 IP with three strikeouts ... Sunday's G2 starter, junior LHP Jack Gonzales (1-0/3.00 ERA/9 K), got off to a rocky start in game two vs. APU as he was touched up for three first inning runs on three hits ... however the junior southpaw righted the ship and retired 16 of the final 19 Cougars he faced, including 10-straight at one point, and finished with five Ks, though he did not figure into the decision ...  Senior LHP Tevita Gerber (2-0/2.81 ERA/18 K) will get the call in Sunday's finale vs. CU-P ... the senior southpaw struck out six in his third-consecutive start, but did surrender four earned runs (five total) on seven hit over five innings complete in the series finale vs. APU last Saturday ... Gerber was named RMAC Pitcher of the Week (2/3) after he fired six innings of two-hit shutout baseball on just 70 pitches in the finale at Cal State San Marcos (2/2) ... the senior recorded six strikeouts and retired the final nine Cougars he faced.

CALL TO THE PEN: Senior closer Brayden Bonner collected his first save of the season, and ninth of his career, in G2 at Cal State San Marcos (2/1) ... Bonner pitched a spotless ninth inning with a strikeout ... the senior's save moved him into a tie for sixth place on DSU's career saves lists with former DSU hurlers Tanner Howell (2015-18) and Spencer Greer (2016) ... junior RHP Zach Hansen (0-0/0.00 ERA/1 SV/9 K) continued his solid work in the early going as he struck out four in 2.2 innings of relief in two appearances vs. APU ... Hansen collected his first save of the year in the opener (1H/1K), and fanned three over 1.2 innings of spotless work in the series finale ... sophomore RHP Zach Thomas picked up his second win out of the Blazer bullpen this season in G2 vs. APU after he struck out one in a scoreless seventh inning.

TEAM NOTES
* - Dixie State's offense will look to get back on track this weekend after the Blazers were held in check in its four games vs. APU (.227 BA, 10 XBH) ... DSU touched up NNU/CSULA pitching for a combined .392 batting average in four games two weekends ago ... 20 of the Blazers' 62 total hits that weekend went for extra bases, including nine doubles (23 over seven games overall) and nine homers to go with the two Spurlin triples.
* - Dixie State enters this weekend fifth in NCAA D-II in hits (122) and doubles (28), sixth in runs scored (94), t-seventh in HRs (15), 11th in triples (4), 15th in SLG% (.601) and 31st in batting (.319).
* - Through 11 games this season, DSU is averaging an RMAC best 8.5 runs (22nd-nationally) and is second in hits per game at 11.1 ... DSU is also second in team ERA at 3.41 team ERA (9th-nationally) and total strikeouts (86, 8.1 K/9),  and is tied for second in opponent BA (.247).
* - Prior to its season-opening sweep at Cal State San Marcos, Dixie State's last three-game series sweep came nearly two years to the weekend when the Blazers took three from Cal State San Bernardino at Bruce Hurst Field (2/9-11/18). 

NEXT UP FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS: Dixie State will enjoy a weekend off before opening its final season of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play with a four-game weekend home series vs. Adams State this upcoming March 6-8, at Bruce Hurst Field.