ST. GEORGE, Utah — A milestone day for Seattle U head coach Donny Harrel was soured as the Redhawks (13-29, 7-20) were dealt a pair of tough-luck results on Saturday, falling 9-7 in game one before succumbing to a 14-13 decision in game two, as Dixie State (18-30, 16-15) pieced together a couple of late rallies. Seattle U, which celebrated Harrel's 600th game as the team's head coach during the opener, was outhit 14-7 in the game one before bouncing back in the nightcap to be on the high side of the hit column with a season-best 17 hits.
"It was a rough way for us to end the day," said Harrel. "Our bullpen could not get it done today and we let up a five-spot in game one, and then to get walked-off in the nightcap was just gut-wrenching. I was pleased with the outings from [Peter] Chronowski and [Desmond] Parisotto, they did their job, but the other pieces of the pen tonight weren't good enough. I also thought we swung the bats well and can hopefully rally around the good things we did to try and out here with a win tomorrow."
Seattle U will play its final road game of the year and close the four-game set in St. George. First pitch from Sunday's series finale is slated for 11 am PT.
Game 1: Seattle U 7, Dixie State 9 (7 Inn)
Despite overcoming a pair of deficits in the opener, the Redhawks saw a 7-4 advantage slip away as Dixie State rallied with a five-run sixth.
Seattle U rebounded from a 2-0 hole after Dixie State took the lead with a home run in the second. Justin Mazzone and Julian Kodama led the recovery during the third as they drove in a combined three runs.
Mazzone cut the deficit in half with a one-out double down the line for his team leading 26th RBI of the season. After Connor O'Brien reached on an error, Kodama then found the right-center gap to pick up RBI number 14 and 15 of the season, giving Seattle U a 3-2 lead. The Redhawk margin however was short-lived as the Trailblazers responded by scoring twice in the home half of the third.
With Seattle U trailing 4-3, Kyle Sherick smashed a four-run shot to right-center, lifting the Redhawks to a 7-4 advantage. The grand slam was Sherick's first in a Seattle U uniform and his second home run of the season.
From there the Redhawk bats went quiet as they were a combined 1-for-11 during the final three innings. Kai Alberghini accounted for hit during the stretch with a base knock in the sixth, while Sherick was walked later in the frame.
After being held scoreless in the fourth and fifth, Dixie State trimmed the Redhawk margin to 7-5 with a lead-off home run in the sixth. One out later, the Trailblazers pulled even with a two-run single. Dixie State then took the lead on a sac fly two batters later before pushing one more across during its ninth batter of the inning.
Seattle U reliever Kohl Petersen was charged with the loss after allowing four runs on six hits in 2 1/3 innings. As a result, starter Alex Jemal garnered a no-decision after surrendering four runs on seven hits in three innings.
Game 2: Seattle U 13, Dixie State 14
The nightcap was a back-and-forth slugfest that saw the teams combine for 27 runs on 33 hits; with four ties and three lead changes from the sixth inning on.
O'Brien opened the game by driving in the first three Redhawks runs, as he pushed Sherick across in the first with a ground out RBI before mashing a two-run homer in the third, giving Seattle U a 3-0 lead.
Shane Jamison then registered his first career home as began the fourth inning, following a two-run third by Dixie State. Three batters and one later, Rork poked a single through the left side for a two-run base knock, making it 5-2. The Trailblazers again responded with a two-run frame slicing the lead to one.
Seattle U then doubled its advantage with a three-run fifth as Jamison and Derek Gellos notched back-to-back RBI singles, before Alberghini registered a sac fly allowing Jamison to touch home on the play, pushing the score to 8-4.
After Dixie State tied the game with a four-run sixth, Seattle U regained the lead with a two-run seventh. That advantage however was short-lived as the Trailblazers plated three in the bottom half of the frame and claimed an 11-10 lead.
The Redhawks were then nudged out to a 12-11 advantage Alberghini came through with a clutch two-out two-run double down the line. Dixie State then scored on a game-tying balk in the home half.
Sherick then lifted Seattle U to a 13-12 lead in the ninth as he belted a 2-2 pitch to right-center for his third home run of the season. Then with a runner on first and two outs, the Trailblazers tied the game with a double, before escaping with an RBI single.
On the mound, starter Peter Chronowski received a no-decision after allowing four runs on eight hits, while fanning a career-best eight batters. Brady Liddle was charged with the loss.
At the plate, seven Redhawks had two or more hits in the game. They were led by Gellos who went 3-for-5, while Sherick, Mazzone, O'Brien, Kodama, Jamison and Alberghini had two hits apiece.