ST. GEORGE, Utah – Six home runs in the first game and two in the second helped the Warriors sweep a doubleheader on Saturday. The Lewis-Clark State College baseball team outslugged Dixie State University 21-11 in game one and then pitched its way to a 5-2 win in the nightcap.   

The wins bring the Warriors to 36-12 on the season and help make up for Friday’s 11-9 loss to the Red Storm. LCSC now leads the series 2-1 with the final game to be played Sunday at 11 a.m.

In the first contest on Saturday, LCSC pounded its way to season highs in runs, hits (21), and home runs.

Ben Ornelas catapulted the Warrior offense by going 5-for-6, scoring four runs, and driving in three.  

After collecting only one hit in the first two innings, the Warriors exploded for 10 runs in the third and then continued to score in each of the following innings.

The third-inning scoring barrage included six hits, four walks, and two doubles.

In the fourth, the Warriors tacked three more runs on the board via a lead-off home run by Bryson Tajiri followed by a two-run home run by Matt Allen two batters later.

As the game progressed the Warriors continued to add runs with the long ball. Ornelas sent a solo shot out in the seventh, and Sean Halton, Allen, and Travis Georgius hit back-to-back-to-back  homers in the ninth.

With plenty of run support, Matt Stabelfeld whipped through the first six innings to earn the win and improve his season mark to 4-0.

Not to be outdone, the Red Storm clobbered three home runs and score six runs in the bottom of the ninth to make the final a little less lopsided.  

LCSC gave up a season-high four home runs in the first game.

The second game, which was slated for seven innings, didn’t feature the run totals of the first game, but played out more or less the same as the first. LCSC got an early lead, added runs in the middle innings, and hung on in the final frame for the win.

A double by Halton, a single by Kawika Emsley-Pai, and two Red Storm throwing errors helped the Warriors plate two runs in the third.

In the fourth, Paul Martin added a run with a solo homer to left field, and in the fifth Halton made the score 4-1 with a one-run job to left center. With one in the first game and one in the second, Halton increased his team-leading home run total to 14.

Dixie State attempted to mount a comeback in the seventh by lining two singles but ended up falling short.

Zach Clanton, in his first start this season, pitched 5 1/3 innings stranding eight hits and striking out two Red Storm batters to earn his team-high sixth win. Dustin Willis came on in relief for the final five outs.

LCSC’s Josh Ashenbrenner had three hits in the second game and five hits on the day to up his team-leading batting average to .444. Halton also had three hits in the second game.  

Aaron Friend, who hit the game-winning home run in Friday’s contest, led the Red Storm offense with a 4-for-4 effort in game two and six hits on the day.