ST. GEORGE, Utah – Thwarted by two costly home runs, the Lewis-Clark State College baseball team knocked 15 hits but squandered two leads and was defeated by Dixie State University 11-9 on Friday.
Aaron Friend lined a two-run double down the right field line to tie the game in the seventh and then rapped a two-run home run to right center to score Dixie State’s go-ahead run in the eighth. The Red Storm also received four quick runs off of a grand slam by Drew Oldfield in the fourth.
Dixie State extended its current win streak to six and improved its season record to 29-17. The loss brings the Warriors to 34-12 overall and 14-3 on the road
After both teams went scoreless in the first three innings, LCSC hit its way to score in five-straight innings but couldn’t keep Dixie State from responding.
Pena broke the 0-0 tie in the top of the fourth by sending the first pitch he saw over the wall in right center. Later in the inning a hit batsmen, a bunt base hit, and a throwing error helped the Warriors plate two more to make the score 3-0.
Then in the fifth, with the score 4-3 thanks to Oldfield’s grand slam, Pena lined another long ball to left center to even it a 4. The blast was Pena’s fourth home run of the season.
Five singles helped the Warriors plate two in the sixth and one in the seventh and gain a 7-4 advantage, however, the Red Storm used two walks and two hits to tie the game at 7 heading into the eighth.
The Warriors then surged for another two runs on three hits, but was answer by four Dixie State runs in the bottom of the inning.
LCSC used three pitchers in the game with Dustin Willis surrendering the home run in the eighth to be tabbed with the loss. Willis now holds a 5-1 record.
Phil Finley, one of four Dixie State pitchers used in the game, pitched a scoreless eighth inning to earn the win and improve to 3-2.
Friend and Oldfield led the Red Storm with four RBI apiece, while LCSC had five players with two or more hits.
Josh Ashenbrenner went 3-for-5 and drove in two runs, while Brian Ward, Pena, Matt Allen, and Todd Muecklisch all had two hits apiece.
Out of LCSC’s 15 hits only two (Pena’s homers) were for extra bases.
The four game series continues with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon, and an 11 a.m. game on Sunday.
