Dixie State dropped the rubber game of its 2022 season opening series at Arizona State in a 17-8 slugfest on Sunday afternoon at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
 
The Trailblazers (1-2) had the offense going early and often in their first day game of the young season, plating two runs in four of their first five offensive frames en route to an 8-6 lead after five complete.
 
Shane Taylor opened the game with a lead-off single, then after a groundout and a Kaden Hollow base knock, Taylor scored the game's first run on a Tyler Hollow RBI-hit. Will Chambers drove home Kaden Hollow carrying the second run one batter later on a fielder's choice.  
 
After the Sun Devils (2-1) answered with three runs in the home second, Kaden Hollow gave the Blazers the lead right back in the third with DSU's first home run of the season, a towering two-run home run to right field that also scored Taylor, who doubled to start the frame.
 
ASU wrestled the lead away again in the home third thanks to a Will Rogers RBI-double, who later scored on an Ivan Brethowr single to stake the Sun Devils to a 4-3 advantage.
 
Dixie State countered with a pair of two-out runs in the fourth, and two more in the fifth to take its largest lead of the series at 8-5. Jagun Leavitt drove in two of those runs with a groundout in the fourth and a sacrifice fly in the fifth, while Taylor collected his third hit to deliver the Blazers' eighth run of the day.
 
However that lead would again be short-lived as Arizona State used some two-out thunder to score 12 unanswered runs over the next three innings to power its way to a commanding nine-run lead heading into the seventh.
 
Rogers drew the Sun Devils a run closer with a solo homer over the left field wall with two outs in the fifth, which was followed one inning later by a Joe Lampe two-out, two-run shot to right that pulled the Sun Devils even at 8-8.

Then after two walks and a single loaded the bases, Rogers cleared the base paths with his second two-out homer in as many at-bats to give ASU a four-run cushion. The Sun Devils tacked on five more insurance runs with two gone in the seventh, while the ASU bullpen limited the Blazers to just one hit and three baserunners over the final four innings to clinch the series win.

Kaden Hollow and Taylor each finished with three hits and two runs scored to pace the Blazer offense as DSU pounded out with nine safeties on the day.
 
Dixie State will open its 2022 home slate with a Tuesday match-up against UNLV at Bruce Hurst Field. First pitch is slated for 4:05 p.m.