April 5, 2008
OREM, Utah - After falling behind early, Utah Valley nearly erased a late eight-run deficit before falling 17-16 to Utah in a four hour and six minute slugfest on Saturday in Orem.
The Utes (12-14) jumped out to a 7-0 lead after two innings and a 17-9 advantage after seven but the Wolverines (6-19-1) scored six runs each in both the third and eighth innings to make a game of it.
The game featured a combined 33 runs on 36 hits as the teams also combined to use 13 different pitchers, including eight by Utah Valley.
The Wolverines were led by Scott Croshaw, who was 4-for-6 on the day with a triple, double and four runs batted in. Ryan Jones was a perfect 4-for-4 and scored four times while Jace Brinkerhoff had a triple and a double as part of a three-hit day. Cole Anderson also had three hits, including a two-run home run in the eighth, his first of the year. Kevin Arendse and Kai Hatch both drove in three runs apiece.
For Utah, Cooper Blanc had a huge day with two home runs and five RBI on a three-hit afternoon. Corey Shimada led the Utes with four hits and he also scored twice, drove in a run and stole two bases. Dustin Hennis had three hits including a home run while Austin Jones and DC Legg also had three hits each.
After Utah scored four in the first and three more in the second to take a 7-0 lead, the Wolverines got back into the game with six in the third on five hits including two triples and two doubles.
After Jones walked with one out Brinkerhoff tripled him home and then scored on a Hatch single. Croshaw followed that with his triple before Arendse doubled him home. Jake Rickenbach capped the scoring in the inning with a double to the gap in right-center, scoring Adam Openshaw and Cole Anderson.
Utah kept the pressure on though, scoring three times in the fourth before getting a solo shot from Hennis and a two-run blast by Blanc, his second of the day, in a three-run fifth.
The Utes took a 17-9 lead after tacking on four seventh inning runs, thanks in large part to three Utah Valley errors.
The Wolverines trimmed the deficit to two, 17-15, with the six-run eighth. Croshaw had an RBI single while Arendse delivered a two-run single up the middle before Anderson capped the inning with his home run to right.
After Brinkerhoff came on in relief to pitch a perfect top of the ninth, Tyler Garretson led off the bottom of the inning with a walk and moved over to third on Jones' single to left.
Utah reliever Tyler Chimpky got Brinkerhoff swinging, before Hatch sacrificed Garretson home. Croshaw was UV's last hope but was retired when his hard liner was hit right at Blanc in centerfield.
The Utes now lead the season series 3-2 and also earned a split of this week's four-game series. The two teams will play a sixth and final time this season on April 15th at 3pm on Ute Field in Salt Lake City.
Up next for Utah Valley is another in-state rival, Southern Utah, on Monday at 7pm and Tuesday at 5pm at Brent Brown Ballpark. The Wolverines will then travel to Reno to face Nevada for four games next weekend.
