April 27, 2004 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - The Utah Valley State baseball team brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth, but couldn't complete a miracle comeback, falling to the University of Utah 12-9, at Ute Field in Salt Lake City. 

The Wolverines got down 12-1 by the fifth inning, but UVSC started to chip away at the Ute lead scoring single runs in the sixth and seventh innings, two runs in the eighth and four runs in the ninth. With runners on first and third, Sam Van Dyken represented the tying run, but he grounded out to Ute first baseman, Mike Westfall to end the game and the Wolverine hopes of a miracle. 

Five UVSC errors opened the door for Utah to take the early lead. The Wolverines scored one run in the top of the first inning on a two-out RBI single by Josh Hinckley. He drove in Canyon Vance who doubled to the right center field gap. 

The Utes, aided by a UVSC error, scored four runs in the bottom half of the first. Ute lead off man, Ryan Khoury led off with a single up the middle, followed by a walk. Both runners moved up on a pass ball. With one out, Eric Chevalier singled up the middle and the ball rolled under Adam Hutchinson's glove and rolled all the way to the center field fence, allowing all three runs to score, including Chevalier. 

The other big inning for the Utes came in the fifth when they plated six runs. Four of those runs scored after a Wolverine error, and could have been more as Utah left the bases loaded in the inning. 

UVSC's two-run eighth inning came with two outs. Todd Bateman doubled down the left field line driving in Vance who had reached on a single up the middle. Bateman advanced to third on a wild pitch, and he was driven in by a Joel Taylor single. 

The Wolverines scored four runs on four hits and one Ute error in the ninth. UVSC out-hit Utah 14-10, but the five errors to Utah's two ended up being the difference in the game. 

Tash (5-4) suffered the loss for UVSC. He pitched 4 2/3 innings, and gave up eight hits. Shad McCord earned the win for Utah giving up six runs and six hits in his six innings of work. 

The Wolverines travel to the University of Northern Colorado on the weekend to play a three-game series with the Bears on Saturday and Sunday. UVSC and UNC will play a doubleheader starting at 12:00 pm (MST) on Saturday and a single game starting at 12:00 pm (MST) on Sunday. The Wolverines split a doubleheader with the Bears earlier this season in Provo.