Happy to help, Stephanie! When a loaf has a blow out like that, that's usually a sign that the dough was under-proofed. The yeast essentially has so much more energy left pent up in it that when it hit the heat of the oven it explodes and will find the weakest point in the dough which is usually somewhere on the side, and the steam will bust open a big hole. Scoring the top of a loaf with a sharp knife can help give the steam a place to go, but it sounds like the dough just wants a little longer on the counter before going into the oven. Ideally, you want the dough to be quite soft and pillowy when you press down on it. If you poke it with a floured finger, the indent should very slowly fill back in. If it's pops right back out, it needs to rise longer. We hope that helps! 

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