April 28, 2006
OREM, Utah - Utah Valley State (14-31) used a five-run eighth inning to propel itself past #1 (NAIA) Lewis-Clark State 7-5, ending the Warriors 26-game winning streak and evening up the three-game series at one win apiece.
In the process the Wolverines also ended their own four game losing streak and beat LCSC (37-4) for the first time in five tries. A Lewis-Clark win would have tied the school record for most consecutive wins set back in 1986.
"Overall we were just focused better as a team," said Utah Valley head coach Steve Gardner. "We got pitching, we played defense and we had big hits and that's what you have to do against a good team like this."
"We've struggled to string runs together so for us to come back is really good for us, especially against a good team like this," said Wolverine senior Nick Connor, who finished the game 3-for-4. "We knew they had that record and we wanted to be the ones to break it. It was just an great overall team game."
Utah Valley sent 10 batters to the plate in the seventh, beginning with a leadoff walk to Adam Openshaw. Derrick Thomas then followed with a single to right and moved up to second on the throw as Openshaw went from first to third.
After a popout, Brad Hales came up big to tie it up with a single to right center that scored both Openshaw and Thomas.
"I just really focused in during the at-bat," said Hales. "I was just thinking that we needed to get the momentum back and the way the pitchers threw it really made a difference."
Connor then walked to load up the bases before Eli Slesk gave the Wolverines a 5-4 lead with a single through the left side, scoring Hales.
Benson followed that up with another single through the left side to score Connor, giving UV a 6-4 lead before Canyon Vance capped the five-run inning with an RBI on a fielder's choice.
Freshman Kyle Beecher was solid in his first career start, lasting 5 1/3 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits but did not factor into the decision.
"Beecher was just a breath of fresh air for us," said Gardner. "He's a competitive kidHe just did a great job. He worked ahead and kept them off balance.
Brett Guerrero (3-4) pitched 3 2/3 innings in relief in earning the win while Max Hibbs (4-2) suffered the loss after allowing three earned runs in 1/3 of an inning.
Early on, the Wolverines scored first on an RBI single by Benson to score Connor in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.
Lewis-Clark took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third on a two-run home run to left-center by Jessie Mier. Mier led LCSC with three hits and four runs batted in on the night.
Kade Boyer led off the bottom of the third with a double to right and came around to score the tying run two batters later on a single by Connor.
The Warriors used the long ball to take the lead again, this time in the sixth on a deep solo shot by Allen Balmer and then added another run an RBI single by Mier in the seventh, taking a 4-2 lead before the big seventh for Utah Valley State.
The Wolverines and Warriors will meet in the rubber match of the series tomorrow at 1pm.
