ST. GEORGE — Sometimes it’s all about attitude on the baseball diamond.

Tuesday night against Dixie ace Drew Bailey, the Desert Hills Thunder managed just one hit and struck out 10 times. With a new attitude and the home-field advantage, it was a whole different story Thursday night as D-Hills racked up 11 runs on 10 hits in an 11-5 victory over the Flyers.

“Basically we came out with a bunch of energy, wanting this more than them,” DH pitcher/shortstop Braiden Irvin said. “Winning this game is huge because then we’re tied at 3-1. That way we’re not dogging ourselves at 2-2. We had a lot of energy — everyone having fun, laughing in the dugout. It was a huge difference from Tuesday, a good transformation.”

From the get-go it was clear this was going to be a different kind of game than Tuesday’s pitcher-dominated contest. The Thunder pounded four runs across the plate in the first inning and another three in the third to take a commanding lead. Brayson Hurdsman, started the scoring spree with a 3-run home run to left field in the first.

“It was a 2-0 count,” Hurdsman said. “He started me with a curveball and couldn’t find (the strike zone). Same thing with his splitter. I knew it was going to be my pitch and I just swung away at it. I knew it was gone when I hit it.”

Dixie got a run back in the second on a sac fly by Jaxon Davis, making it 4-1. But in the third, the Thunder struck thrice as Chaz Nelson doubled home Wyatt Bendall and Preston Creager followed that up with a 2-run moon shot to make it 7-1.

Dixie didn’t roll over, putting together a 4-run rally in the top of the fourth to cut it to 7-5. Chaz Hansen homered in the rally and Tyson Fisher, Trevor Connell and Collin Hutchings all knocked runs home.

Desert Hills would own the rest of the game, however, bringing home a run in the fourth, another in the fifth and two in the sixth. Kayson Bowler came on in relief of Irvin in the fourth inning and held Dixie hitless the last three and a third innings, though he did surrender three walks. Bowler was nursing a non-baseball injury on his throwing hand.

“This was a big one,” Desert Hills coach Jerry Beck said. “The guys just settled in today and played a lot looser. I’m real proud of the way they responded. Bailey’s a great pitcher and anyone would struggle against him. But we had good batting practice yesterday and just got loose.”

Trey Winget led D-Hills with three hits and three runs scored, while Hurdsman had four RBIs and Nelson and Creager knocked home two runs each.

The Thunder improve to 10-5 overall and 3-1 in region, tied with Dixie and percentage points ahead of 4-2 Pine View.

Dixie’s hit leader was Hansen, who doubled and homered. Collin Hutchings and Hobbs Nyberg also had two hits for the Flyers, who fall to 12-3 overall and 3-1 in region.

Desert Hills will face Snow Canyon next week for two games, while Dixie battles Cedar.

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