April 15, 2006
OREM, Utah - Utah Valley State won the opener of a doubleheader, 8-2 over Northern Colorado, getting a seven inning complete-game from starter Kalen Parsons and clinching the three-game series against the Bears.
Northern Colorado came back to win 14-11 in the second game to salvage the final game in a series that saw the two teams combine to score 60 runs.
In the first game, after Northern Colorado took a 1-0 lead in the second, Utah Valley State plated five runs in the bottom of the second, three of which came with two outs following an error earlier in the inning.
Dan Bulow lined a single up the middle to score home a two-run single to get the Wolverines on the board while Kade Boyer, Brad Hales and Nick Connor all had RBI hits in the inning.
The Bears got a run back in the third on a solo home run by Brennan Garr, his second home run of the season, cutting the Wolverine lead to 5-2.
The score stayed that way until the bottom of the sixth when Vance walked to lead off the inning and Bulow doubled him over to third. Following an intentional walk to Adam Openshaw, Derrick Thomas cleared the bases with a three-run double to right-center to put the game out of reach.
Parsons (2-7) allowed two earned runs on eight hits while also striking out eight Bears. Seth Gilleland (2-6) gave up eight runs (four earned) on seven hits and suffered the loss for UNC.
In the second game the Bears jumped out to an early 2-1 lead before Kevin Sandberg and Nate Saylor blasted back-to-back home runs to give UNC a 5-1 advantage in the third inning.
The lead could have been more if not for a spectacular catch in left by Vance who stole extra bases away from Garr as he sprawled out towards the wall to make the over-the-shoulder catch.
The Bears then plated three more runs in the fourth (all unearned) to take an 8-1 advantage.
In the bottom of the fourth the Wolverines clawed their way back into it, sending 10 men to the plate and scoring five runs, three of which came on two out hits by Hales and Connor, to cut the lead to 8-6.
After the Bears added three in the top of the seventh, Utah Valley State began three straight at-bats where the teams plated two runs apiece.
UV scored twice in the seventh before UNC plated two in the top of the eighth only to be answered by two Wolverine runs in the bottom of the inning to stay within striking distance at 13-10.
With men at first and third with two out in the eighth Northern Colorado sent Garr, its closer to the mound, to face Vance. After a good battle between the two, Garr eventually won out as Vance grounded to third to end the inning.
Garr then helped himself in the top of the ninth with a solo home run, his second of the series and third of the season.
Garr wasn't without his flaws though as he walked three and hit a batter in the ninth to put the tying run at first and the winning run at the plate. But he struck out Slesk to end the Wolverine threat and earn his third save of the season. He was also 4-for-6 at the plate in the finale with the homer and four RBI.
Connor was 3-for-4 at the plate for Utah Valley State while Hales, Benson and Vance all had two hits and two runs batted in apiece.
Eric Maydew (2-4) earned the win in relief for UNC while UV starter Dan Christensen (0-3) took the loss.
Up next for Utah Valley is a match up at in-state foe BYU on Tuesday in Provo. The Wolverines will then travel to Reno for a three-game series at WAC opponent Nevada next weekend.
