No. 16 Dixie State closed the non-conference portion of its 2020 regular season slate with a split of a Sunday doubleheader with Concordia-Portland at Bruce Hurst Field.

DSU (11-3) saw its 102-game scoring streak halted in a 2-0 shutout loss in game one, while the Trailblazers rebounded with a 10-4 triumph in the nightcap to clinch the three-game series win. The win also served as Dixie State Head Coach Chris Pfatenhauer's 250^th victory as Trailblazer skipper.

The Trailblazers were limited to just three hits and managed only six total baserunners in Sunday's first game. Meanwhile, CU-Portland (1-8) pushed across single runs in the third and fifth frames, and finished with eight hits – all singles.

CU-P starter Ryan Gibson (W, 1-0) made that lead stand up as he struck out four and saw only one DSU baserunner reach third base over his six solid innings work. Reliever Max Ramirez (S, 1) then came on and retired nine-straight Blazers, four on strikes, in three spotless innings to close out the Cavaliers' first win of the year.

Dixie State starter Jack Gonzales (L, 1-1) struck out three, but was saddled with the loss despite allowing just two runs and four hits over six innings, while senior hurler Preston Hannay punched out three in three scoreless innings of relief. 

Dixie State's shutout loss on Sunday came nearly two years to the day since the last time DSU was held scoreless, which happened in 2018 in the series finale at Point Loma (3-0, 2/24/18) during DSU's last season in the Pacific West Conference. 

DSU quickly shook off the loss in the nightcap as the Trailblazers struck for three first-inning runs to vault to a 3-0 advantage. Tanner Harper got Dixie State on the board with a one-out, RBI-single. Then after Tyler Hollow walked to load the bases, Tyson Fisher blooped a ball that spun past the Cavalier second baseman into shallow right field, which brought home two more Blazer baserunners.

However that lead would be short-lived as CU-Portland answered with a run in the second and two more in the third on a two-run home run Matt Bergevin, which knotted the score at 3-3.

The score remained tied until the home fourth when Blazer catcher Cade Spurlin (4) blasted a towering two-out, two-run homer of his own over the right field fence to put Dixie State back on top at 5-3.

Concordia-Portland came back with a single run in the fifth to trim the Trailblazer lead to 5-4, but DSU broke the game open with four runs in the fifth and plated another in the sixth to take a commanding six-run lead.

Alec Flemetakis provided the big blow in the fifth with a bases-loaded, two-run single to right field, while Braden Stutzman, who advanced to third on the Flemetakis hit, scored on the back end of a double steal for the third run. Then following a Tanner Harper free pass, Flemetakis scampered home on a two-out Cavalier error to cap the rally.

Dixie State's bullpen took over from there as four relievers combined for four strikeouts and held CU-Portland to only two hits over the final three innings. Senior lefthander Tevita Gerber (W, 3-0) fanned three and scattered seven hits and four runs over six innings complete to pick up his third win in four starts on the year overall.

Fisher pounded out three hits to go with his two RBI in the finale as DSU outhit the Cavaliers 12-9, while Flemetakis went 2-for-5 with two runs scored.

Dixie State will enjoy a 12-day break 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.