ST. GEORGE – Dixie State University’s baseball program will celebrate its past, present and future during its 2018 Dugout Club Spring Kickoff Weekend on Friday and Saturday, February 2-3, with events and activities for baseball alumni, supporters and fans of the program.
The weekend’s festivities begin with a four-person golf scramble tournament at Coral Canyon Golf Course Friday morning beginning at 9 a.m. There are a few team/player tournament spots still available for $100 per player and $400 per foursome, which includes 18 holes of golf with cart, a gift bag for each player, and lunch.
Following the tournament, the Sixth-Annual Baseball Banquet will be held Friday evening at the DSU Gardner Center Ballroom at 6 p.m. The dinner will include a silent auction and a meet-and-greet with the 2018 DSU baseball team.
As part of the banquet and auction, Dixie State Baseball will recognize its past, present and future in a special town hall event featuring DSU Athletic Hall of Famers in 2017 Major League Baseball All-Star and current Washington Nationals pitcher Brandon Kintzler and former Major League hurler Brandon Lyon.
In addition, DSU Hall of Fame Baseball Coach Mike Littlewood will be part of the town hall, along with current players in junior infielders Wyatt Branch and Joe Raymond. Dixie State will also honor the 2017 Dixie Little League Baseball Team, which came within one win of becoming the first Utah team to play in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
Seating for the banquet is still available. The cost for the dinner is $50 per person or $400 for a table of eight.
Then on Saturday, Feb. 3, the 2018 Trailblazer baseball team will take on Dixie’s past players in the annual Alumni Game at Bruce Hurst Field beginning at 1 p.m. Prior to first pitch, the Trailblazer Baseball program will officially dedicate the new Alumni Clubhouse. The new clubhouse features 35 new lockers, new flooring and other facility improvements.
There is a $20 fee for alumni who wish to play in the game, which includes batting practice, a vintage DSU jersey and lunch. Admission to the Alumni Game is free for all fans.
For more information on the 2018 DSU Baseball Spring Kickoff Weekend and to find out how to become a member of the DSU Baseball Dugout Club, please contact head baseball coach Chris Pfatenhauer at [email protected], or DSU associate athletic director Wendi Bulkley at [email protected].
Dixie State, which advanced to the NCAA West Regional championship game last season and has appeared in each of the last six NCAA postseason tournaments overall, officially opens the 2018 season with a six-game home stand against Montana State Billings and Cal State San Bernardino Feb. 8-11.
The Dixie State baseball team was picked to finish third in the 2018 Pacific West Conference preseason coaches’ poll released on Thursday. The Trailblazers return three starting position players, two starting pitchers, 14 total letter winners and four redshirts from a 2017 squad that advanced to the NCAA West Regional final.
California Baptist received seven first place votes and 116 total points to edge defending PacWest champion Azusa Pacific, which collected four first place nods and 111 points to finish second in the poll. Dixie State garnered 100 points, followed by Point Loma (84 pts) in fourth, Concordia-Irvine (79 pts) in fifth, and Fresno Pacific (66 pts) in sixth to round out the top half of the poll.
Dixie State senior first baseman Logan Porter and junior third baseman Bryce Feist were both voted to the PacWest preseason team. In addition, Porter and Feist been named to the 2018 NCBWA West Region second team. APU’s Pablo O’Connor was voted the conference preseason Player of the Year, while CBU’s Dylan Stowell was tabbed as the league’s preseason Pitcher of the Year.
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