Feb. 20, 2009
PORTLAND, Oregon - Justin Smith threw five solid innings but missed offensive opportunities cost Utah Valley in a 4-2 season-opening loss at Portland on Friday. Smith, making his first start as a Wolverine, struck out seven while surrendering two runs on three hits.
"He threw absolutely terrific," said Eric Madsen, after his first game as the new UVU head coach. "He made some great pitches throughout and even in that first inning I thought he really pitched well."
Portland got off to a great start after Kris Kauppila led off the bottom of the first with home run on a 3-2 pitch. Later in the inning, Chase Powell doubled home Bryant Kraus to put Portland up 2-0. After that though Smith retired 13 of the final 14 batters he faced, surrendering only a two-out walk in the fifth.
The Wolverines got both runs back in the third inning. Chris Benson led off the inning with a double off the wall, pushing his hitting streak to a school-record 18 games. Benson's last played in the 2006 season prior to serving an LDS mission.
Riley White walked before a Jake Rickenbach groundout moved both runners up. Cole Anderson then drove in the first run on a sacrifice fly to left and Ryan Jones came through with a two-out base hit, scoring White from second.
After that though the UVU offense missed several key chances to take a lead. In the fourth, Kevin Arendse singled and Josh Hinckley doubled putting runners at second and third with no outs. Both runners were stranded there though after Portland starter Mark Triolo got two key strikeouts and a groundout to end the threat.
Utah Valley had two other chances with a runner at third and less than two outs and each time could not bring home a run.
"This was a game of missed opportunities," said Madsen. "This was really a good baseball game though. We saw their number one and I thought he pitched great. But really I felt like the biggest difference in this game was not taking advantage of the opportunities we had."
In the bottom of the sixth, Powell drove home his second and third runs of the day with a two-run home run that turned out to be the game-winner for Portland.
The Wolverines threatened in the eighth but could score before going down in order in the ninth against Brent Miller, who earned the save.
Triolo picked up the win for the Pilots. He threw six innings, allowing two runs on five hits and striking out nine. Kyle Beecher took the loss after surrendering the home run to Powell. Like Benson, it is also Beecher's first game since 2006 after an LDS mission.
The two teams will play a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 11 a.m. PT, noon MT. Live audio and live stats can be accessed by going to PortlandPilots.com.
