Poor weather conditions impacted Dixie State University’s four-game series this weekend.
After severe weather conditions postponed the games scheduled Friday, DSU took the field against Hawaii Pacific University. DSU won two games, lost one then tied against HPU in the last game of the series. Since the first two games were delayed, DSU was on borrowed time which caused the final game to end after the top of the sixth inning.
The Trailblazers kicked off the first game of the series Saturday by putting up 11 runs. The 2-9 hitters for DSU combined to drive in 10 of the 11 runs of the game. Redshirt junior first baseman Logan Porter and senior left fielder Trey Reineke accounted for the two home runs in the game.
The second game of the series took a complete turn as DSU lost 2-1 against HPU. Redshirt senior center fielder Trey Kamachi went 1-4 and scored the only run in the game. Kamachi, a communication major from St. George, said he expected to play against a tough opponent this weekend.
“We did our best trying to stay with our game plan,” Kamachi said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t come out with the outcome that we wanted.”
Head coach Chris Pfatenhauer said the HPU pitcher in the second game really kept the team off balance, making it harder to score runs.
“[HPU’s] pitcher was dynamite,” Pfatenhauer said. “He really kept us in check and did a good job of keeping us off the bases.”
The Trailblazers made a comeback during the third game of the series Sunday.
Junior pitcher Matt Mosca pitched seven complete innings, allowing only two runs on five hits.
Kamachi and Porter also scored again earning a cumulative of two runs.
Redshirt senior second baseman Drew McLaughlin and Kamachi ended the game strong by scoring the last two runs of the game, beating HPU 5-2.
“We just really keep trust in ourselves in the way that we have been playing to finish this good season so far,” said McLaughlin, a criminal justice major from Scottsdale, Arizona.
The finale of the four-game series was cut short during the sixth inning due to a travel curfew.
Pfatenhauer said because the first two games were postponed, the team had a limited amount of time to play before their flight left Sunday. Setting a drop dead time between both coaches and the umpire, the game ended after the top of the sixth inning.
DSU was off to a rough start as senior pitcher Sean Hardman allowed five hits and six runs during the first two innings.
“Our pitching was really good until this last game,” Pfatenhauer said. “We kind of ran out of gas at the end.”
The game’s atmosphere began to change as Porter scored one RBI and a run, followed by redshirt senior designated hitter Jerome Hill II’s three RBIs and one run. By the top of the sixth inning, DSU and HPU were tied 8-8 when the game ended.
“Our goal is always to win a series, and I’ve never gone 2-1-1 because of a tie so I don’t really know how to feel about it yet,” Pfatenhauer said. “It’s a little frustrating that our pitching couldn’t hold those leads.”
Although DSU tied HPU in the last game, Pfatenhauer said overall he is pleased with how well his team has done this season.
DSU is scheduled for another doubleheader against University of Hawaii-Hilo Tuesday at 7 p.m.
