ST. GEORGE – Mike Littlewood, head coach of the Dixie State baseball team, earned his 500th career coaching victory in the first of two games played Friday against Cal State San Bernardino. DSC’s 3-1 win put the 16th year coach into a class with elite company.
Dixie State could not continue the momentum dropping the second game of the doubleheader 3-1 being held to just one hit.
In Friday’s opener, starting pitcher James Mahler picked up the victory allowing one run on four hits while striking out six over six innings. Kyle DiMartino tossed the final three scoreless frames to earn his first save.
Offensively, the Red Storm (2-2) got on the scoreboard first with a leadoff home run from Tyson Littlewood in the second inning. A two-out rally in the third doubled the lead. Jordan Hanley singled and scored all the way from first on a Joe Andrade double.
CSUSB (2-3) plated a run on a Mahler wild pitch in the top of the fourth, only to see the Storm’s Quinn Boyer answer back in the home half with an RBI triple scoring Sam Friend.
Aaron Brooks took the loss for the Coyotes despite striking out seven batters.
GAME TWO: The CSUSB trio of starter Casey McArthur and relievers Jeff Terzo and Josh Pond combined on a seven-inning one hitter to defeat Dixie State 3-1.
Eric Dow went 2-for-2 with 2 RBI for the Coyotes.
DSC got their lone hit (and hit) in the fourth inning. Colton Yack led off the frame with a bunt single in front of the pitcher. He moved to third on a throwing error and scored on a wild pitch.
Friend dropped the decision allowing two runs over 4.1 innings.
The series finale is Saturday beginning at 11 a.m.