April 1, 2006
OREM, Utah - Southern Utah swept a Saturday doubleheader against Utah Valley State, 7-6 in eight innings and 12-7, earning a split of the four-game series after the Wolverines opened with win Thursday and Friday.
In game one of the doubleheader, a scheduled seven inning game, Southern Utah (14-9) scored in the first with a single run and extended the lead to 3-0 after a two-run double by Keli'i Zablan scored Robbie Richards and Jacob Romney.
Utah Valley State (9-21) cut into the lead in the bottom of the second on a doubles in the inning by Chris Benson and Dan Bulow.
The T-Birds answered that run in the third on a Richards double that scored Cameron Nelson.
Utah Valley State fought back in the bottom of the third though, with a RBI single by Benson and a two-run home run by Bulow, his sixth home run of the season, to tie the game up at four.
Once again though Southern Utah regained the lead with two runs in the top of the fifth after Amos Burgess scored on a wild pitch, Romney drove in Nelson with a two-out double.
Another double by Bulow in the sixth scored Canyon Vance, cutting the T-Bird lead to one at 6-5.
After a scoreless top half of the seventh for SUU, the Wolverines came up with one chance to extend the game.
Jason Zundel singled to lead off the seventh and after a sacrifice bunt by Brad Hales, moved up to second.
Nick Connor followed with a four pitch walk to put the winning run at first base. Eli Slesk then hit a deep fly to centerfield which moved Zundel to third. But after the throw from Sotelo skipped by the cutoff man, Zundel scored from third to tie the game at six, sending it to an extra frame.
Charlie Hahl led off the top of the eighth and reached after he was hit by a pitch. Following a sacrifice bunt, Sotelo got redemption with the go ahead double to left center.
Jason Gillins (4-0) then retired the Wolverines in order in the bottom of the inning, giving SUU the 7-6 win. Gillins tossed 4 1/3 innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out three.
Marcus Moore (1-2) took the loss for the Wolverines after allowing one run in 3 2/3 innings of work.
Bulow was 3-for-4 with four runs batted in and now has a team high 32 RBI on the season.
In the finale, Southern Utah jumped out to a big lead early after Charlie Hahl doubled and then scored on a double by Sotelo. Burgess then gave SUU a 3-0 lead with a two-run home run to centerfield, all in the top of the first.
After an hour and seven minute rain delay halted the game in the middle of the first, Southern Utah extended the lead in the top of the second after the freshman Zablan hit the first home run of his career, a two-run blast to right field.
Utah Valley State got on the board in the second on an RBI single by Adam Openshaw that scored Dan Bulow.
Southern Utah broke it open in the fourth with four runs capped by a tape measure blast to left by Jeff Oliverson.
The T-Birds eventually built the lead to 12-2 before the Wolverines dented the lead with a four-run sixth inning and added a run in the ninth for the final 12-7 tally.
Ryan Jessop (0-2) suffered the loss, lasting into the second inning and allowing five runs on four hits. Matt Wilson (2-2) lasted six innings and gave up six runs (four earned) on 11 hits in earning the win for SUU.
Next up for Utah Valley is four games with in-state rival Utah beginning next Tuesday at 3:00pm at Ute Field. The two teams will play Thursday at 7:00pm in Orem followed by another game in Salt Lake City on Friday at 3:00pm. The week will conclude with 1:00pm game Saturday afternoon in Orem.
