Dixie State scored eight runs from the eighth inning on to rally and defeat Seattle U by an 11-9 count in 12 innings on Sunday afternoon at Bannerwood Ballpark.  
 
The Trailblazers took two of three in the weekend series and improved to 13-10 overall, 8-4 in WAC play. The extra inning triumph also marked the sixth time in the program's NCAA era that Dixie State played in a 12-inning contest (4-2).
 
The win did not look like it would be in the cards in the first inning as the Redhawks ambushed DSU for five runs and five hits to chase Blazer starter Jimmy Borzone (ND).  
 
Dixie State managed to get three of those runs back in the third when after Jagun Leavitt and Shane Taylor both reached on one-out singles, Zach Thomas clubbed his second home run of the season – and the series – over the left field wall to make it a 5-3 game.

Meanwhile, the DSU bullpen held the Redhawks in check from the first inning on, limiting Seattle U to two runs and eight hits over the next six-plus frames.

The Trailblazers then completely flipped the script in the eighth, striking six runs in the stanza to wrestle the lead away at 9-7. Thomas picked up his fourth RBI of the day with a single up the middle. Then after a ground out and a wild pitch, Tyler Hollow cut the deficit to 7-5 with a deep flyout to right field.
 
Parker Schmidt followed with a run-scoring single and Jack Walker walked ahead of Mathew Ivancich, who laced an opposite field base hit to right to drive in Schmidt carrying the tying run and move Walker to third.
 
Leavitt would give Dixie State its first lead of the day five pitches later when he chopped a ball down the third base line. Leavitt beat throw to first to plate Walker, and the throw sailed into foul territory to allow Ivancich to score to give DSU a two-run advantage.
 
With two outs and a runner on and down to its final strike in the bottom of the ninth, Seattle U temporarily postponed the Blazers' postgame celebration when Redhawk outfielder Kyle Sherick tied the game with a home run over the right field wall.
 
The game remained tied until the 12^th when Dixie State pushed across two two-out runs to jump back on top. With runners at second and third and down to his final strike, Walker beat out an infield single with a head first slide into the first base bag to break the tie.
 
Then after a walk loaded the bases, Leavitt drew another free pass to force in a big insurance run. DSU would make that two-run cushion stand as Thomas (W, 2-0), who came on to pitch in the 10^th, worked around a two-out walk to wrap up the hard-fought series win.
 
Thomas had a career day as the junior recorded career highs in both hits (4) and RBI (4), while he also struck out two in three innings of hitless relief.
 
Leavitt added three hits and reached base safely in five of his six plate appearances. DSU finished with 17 hits on the day, with Hollow, Schmidt, Walker and Ivancich each collecting two safeties.

Dixie State will close out its eight-game road swing next weekend with a four-game series at Cal Poly on April 1-3.