PHOENIX, Ariz. – Dixie State College ran into a red-hot offense dropping a pair of Pacific West Conference baseball games Friday to host Grand Canyon. The Antelopes combined for 30 hits in 10-3 and 6-4 decisions at Brazell Stadium.
In the same time frame, Dixie State (17-9, 13-5 PWC) was held to 11 total hits over two games.
The Red Storm offense could not emulate the scorching valley heat. Temperatures hovered in the high-90’s.
Grand Canyon took an early lead in the series opener off DSC starter Mike Dedrick. Six runs on nine hits over the first three innings gave the Antelopes ample cushion. GCU would add a home run against Dedrick (L, 3-2) and another bomb against Bryce Anderson in the sixth inning.
DSC picked up a pair of runs in the visiting half of the fifth. With two aboard, Trevor Goff doubled to center to plate Eric Bond. Ammon Zitting cashed in Mike Stiles with an RBI groundout.
Joe Andrade scored in the seventh inning off an Antelope error.
Dedrick picked up the loss allowing nine runs and 14 hits in 5.2 innings. Brady Wager pitched seven frames scattering three runs on four hits in victory.
GCU again struck early in game two, scoring four runs off four singles and a double. Jordon Blanchard shook off the early damage. The righty kept the Lopes scoreless over the next four innings despite giving up six hits.
Goff knocked in the Storm’s first run in the third inning with a double scoring Colton Yack.
The score remained 4-1 until the Antelopes added two insurance runs in the home half of the sixth.
Down by five, Dixie State attempted a seventh inning comeback and made a valiant effort that fell just short. Andrade began the inning with a single followed by Bond drawing a walk. Yack loaded the bags with an infield, bunt single toward third. Three straight fielder’s choices coupled with a pair of GCU errors tallied three runs.
DSC reloaded the bags with one out, but GCU starter Cody Repenning induced a double play from Tony Nelson to end the rally.
Andrade and Yack were the only DSC hitters to notch multi-hit games.
The teams return to Brazell Stadium at 1:00pm Mountain for a critical PWC doubleheader.