ST. GEORGE, Utah – Kade Hall sent the second pitch of the 2018 Montana State University Billings baseball season over the fence in straightaway center at Bruce Hurst Field on Thursday evening, signaling the start of a wild 3-hour, 46-minute ballgame that eventually fell to host Dixie State University 12-11.
 
The Trailblazers (1-0) won their 2018 home opener on a walk-off single by Kyle Hoffman in the bottom of the ninth, as he poked the 24th hit of the ball game into left field to plate leadoff man Jagun Leavitt.
 
The night got off to a promising start for the Yellowjackets (0-1), who scored four times in the top of the first inning. Adam Cox laced a two-run double to left center and Chase Teter singled in his first career at-bat at MSUB, as the 'Jackets held a promising 4-0 edge at the end of the frame.
 
"We hit really well today, and there are some things we could have done better, but overall I'm really pleased with the way we competed today," said MSUB head coach Aaron Sutton.
 
Dixie State responded with four runs of its own in the bottom of the first however, and it was nothing but offense the rest of the way. MSUB led 7-4 after the top of the second, but DSU scored the next six runs to establish a 10-7 lead.
 
The 'Jackets appeared to tie the game on a two-run single by Andrew Schleusner in the top of the sixth inning, but Hall was called out for missing third base when rounding the bag and the 'Blazers clung to a 10-9 advantage.
 
With their backs against the wall in the top of the ninth, the 'Jackets called upon sophomore Hayden Humphrey to pinch hit and make his MSUB debut. After falling behind 0-2 against DSU closer Tyler Rosas, Humphrey tied the game with a clutch, two-run base hit to center field. Though the 'Jackets moved the go-ahead run to third base in the inning with less than two outs, they squandered the chance to take the lead and DSU won the game without a need for extra innings.
 
Each team utilized five pitchers in the slugfest, with Dixie's Rosas claiming the win and MSUB's Carson Woolery taking the loss in his first game on the mound. Junior Jared Winslow started for the 'Jackets, allowing six runs on five hits with a pair of strikeouts and four walks in 3.0 innings. Sam Muskat had an impressive start to his sophomore campaign, giving up just one unearned run on four hits with one strikeout and no walks in 3 1/3 innings on the mound.
 
After missing last year with an injury, DSU starter Aaron Pope was chased after allowing seven runs on eight hits with one strikeout in two full innings. Washington State University transfer Chandler Greenfield was stellar over the next three innings, striking out five and allowing only a solo home run to MSUB's Teter into the sixth inning. Brecken Lewis kept MSUB off-balance in 2 1/3 relief innings, giving up just one hit and striking out two before giving the ball off to Rosas.
 
The Yellowjackets left eight runners on base in the game while Dixie State stranded 10, and it took 353 combined pitches from the two staffs to get through the nearly four-hour affair.
 
Jalen Garcia joined Hall and Teter with his first home run of the year for the 'Jackets, and finished the day 2-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Ryan Myers was 2-for-3 at the plate, and also drew a walk and was hit by a pitch to reach base in 4 of 5 plate appearances.
 
Hall appeared to have his second home run of the day in the sixth inning, but he came up just short as his deep drive struck the wall in center just two feet shy of the yellow line. Hall also played sound defense in left field, making a diving catch and totaling five putouts on the evening. "Kade is firing on all cylinders, and he is a tremendous kid," said Sutton. "It was good to see Kade locked in at the plate here in Game 1."
 
Gabe Taylor finished 3-for-4 with an RBI for DSU, and Jake Engel had a 2-for-4 day including a big RBI-double in his first at-bat in the second inning. Catcher Jake Davison was the lone Trailblazer with multiple RBIs, as he finished the day 1-for-3 with two batted in.
 
Dixie State played a clean game defensively, while the 'Jackets had three fielding miscues that led to three unearned runs.
 
"These guys are hungry to get back at Dixie, but we are focused on the ballgame against CSU San Bernardino tomorrow first," said Sutton.
 
THE BUZZ: Hall was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…MSUB is now 3-22 all-time against Dixie State, with all 25 games in the series being played in St. George…MSUB utilized 21 different players in Thursday's game, nine of which made their MSUB debut.
 
NEXT UP: The Yellowjackets face a quick turnaround, with an 11:30 a.m. first pitch on Friday morning against Cal State San Bernardino. MSUB will then play Dixie State on Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. Both games will feature live stats available online here, and Friday's second game will feature live video with play-by-play commentary available online through MSUB's Stretch Internet portal here.