The hot streak of the Dixie State University baseball team was downed this weekend when California Baptist university won three games in a four-game series. Dixie State fell 25-10 on the season and 20-3 in the Pacific West Conference.
The Storm started out strong with a nightcap on Thursday that led to their 13th-straight win. The team scored in the first four innings, proving its offensive skills. That momentum led DSU to a 9-4 victory.
In the win, freshman pitcher Dylan File allowed three runs and 12 hits, walked two and struck out three. Freshman first baseman Cam Gust had three RBIs, running in sophomore infielder Drew McLaughlin, senior infielder Kevin Kline and senior outfielder Donald Glover.
The Storm played a double header Friday and were not as successful as the night before.
CBU was able to sweep the storm both games with a 10-1 and 11-9 win.
Junior pitcher Porter Clayton took the loss on the mound for DSU. He allowed three runs in five innings with three walks and three strikeouts.
Toward the end of the second game, the Storm tried to make a comeback with Glover and freshman infielder Hayes Hall each having a double and three runs batted in. DSU did not get the victory.
Junior pitcher Jeremy Alderman, an integrated studies major from Cheney, Washington, said the team needs to put more trust in each other and the coaches.
“They [the coaches] will prepare us in the right ways to give us a better chance to win at the end of the season,” Alderman said.
The Storm faced the Lancers for the final game in the series on Saturday morning. DSU was unable to hold CBU due to only scoring early in the first inning. A mixture of errors aided in the 8-2 loss.
There was hope for the Storm when they loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth inning but sadly were not able to score a run due to the Lancers defense.
In the next inning CBU had a 7-score rally with four hits. Freshman pitcher Aaron Pope took the loss for DSU in his 4.1 innings. He allowed six runs on seven hits, walked three and struck out three.
Head coach Chris Pfatenhaur said the team did not compete well on Friday.
“CBU is a good baseball team, and we did not play our best baseball,” Pfatenhaur said. “We will spend the week regrouping, working hard and preparing for Saint Martins.”
Kline helped out the Storm, going 3-4 at the plate including a double.
DSU will be traveling to Lacey, Washington, for a four-game series at Saint Martin’s beginning Friday and will return to home and PacWest conference play on April 23 for a four-game series against Azusa Pacific University.
After these two series, DSU only has one four-game series left in the season.
