Storm Stunned by Walk-Off Grand Slam
Dixie State drops Hawaii finale
John Potter, Assistant Sports Information
4/14/2010 10:44:21 PM
HILO, HAWAII – Dixie State College suffered a stunning non-conference loss to host Hawaii-Hilo 5-4 on Wednesday afternoon when DH Kekoa Lee blasted a walk-off grand slam off Todd Morlock (Magna, UT /Taylorsville) in the bottom of the ninth.
The Red Storm (26-16) led through most of the game and held a 4-1 entering the final frame before the Vulcans cashed in the game winners. Morlock (L, 3-2) retired the first four batters he faced in relief, but fell into early difficulty after walking the two leadoff batters in the ninth. A single loaded the bags for Lee. With the count at 1-1, Morlock left a slider over the middle of the plate and Lee launched it over the fence in right for his first homer of the season.
DSC starter Lane Kirby (Las Vegas, NV/Palo Verde) tossed 6.2 quality innings scattering a lone run on 11 hits while striking out three.
Dixie State scored the game’s first run in the third. Aaron Friend (Las Vegas. NV/Centennial HS) scored on an Ammon Zitting (Pleasant Grove. UT/Lone Peak) sac fly. The lead doubled to two runs when Friend added his own sac fly plating Rhett Welsh (Arvada, CO/Standley Lake) in the following inning.
Hilo got an RBI single from Shane Kessel in the bottom of the fifth to cut the Storm lead to 2-1.
Brett Adams (Sandy. UT/Alta HS) widened the cushion blasting an opposite-field homer to right, a two-run shot in the eighth, giving Dixie State a three run lead heading into the ninth.
Tyler Simao earns the win for UHH pitching a perfect ninth frame. The Vulcans took four of five games in the series knocking Dixie State down to third place in the Pacific West Conference.
The Red Storm returns home for a four-game series with Grand Canyon University beginning Friday, April 23 at 12:00pm noon. Friday’s action will include two seven-inning games.
Live audio coverage will be available through Classical 91.3FM and online at Network1Sports.com.