Box Score Box Score

ST. GEORGE, Utah - FPU dropped the first game of its four-game series at first-place Dixie State 7-3 on Thursday evening. The Red Storm, who have already clinched the PacWest title with a 24-5 league record, jumped out to a 5-0 lead by scoring in the first four innings.

The Sunbirds (30-17, 18-11 PacWest) would climb their way back into it with two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to cut the deficit to 5-3 after a Hunter Villanueva solo homer, but DSU tallied on two more and would ultimately put the game away as the Sunbirds stranded two runners in the ninth.

Baron Bower got FPU's scoring going with an RBI triple in the sixth before Michael Tittle drove him in with an infield single. Sunbird ace J.D. Salles surrendered seven runs in 6 1/3 innings of work. Villanueva and Tittle each had two hits in the loss.

Wilson Ashford is expected to take the hill for FPU in game two tomorrow at 3 pm PST, 4 pm MST.