March 10, 2009
OREM, Utah - Utah Valley dropped a pair of games to St. John's (14-4, 10-0) at Brent Brown Ballpark on Tuesday to fall to 5-7 on the year.
In the first game, a completion of Monday's snow-delayed contest, the Red Storm (4-6), already carrying a 4-0 lead into the day, pushed across six runs in the second and four more in the third to take a commanding 14-0 lead after three.
Things were more encouraging after the third as freshman Devin Nelson came in and threw 3.0 scoreless innings. Two more freshman, Jake Menzo and Marc Morgan, combined with Nelson to throw six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits.
After a two-run fourth, Kirk Doxey hit a pinch-hit home run to dead center for the final tally.
St. John's finished with 14 hits while UVU had 11, two each from Jace Brinkerhoff, Dick Bargewell, Riley White and Jake RIckenbach.
The Red Storm capitalized on five Wolverines errors, plating four unearned runs in the game.
The second game didn't get any better for Utah Valley. Five more errors and a solid seven innings from starter Eddie Medina saw St. John's build a 7-0 lead before adding three runs in the top of the ninth.
Medina struck out only one batter but allowed five scattered hits to earn the win. Rich Armento pitched the final two innings, striking out the side in the ninth.
The five UVU errors yielded three unearned runs, two of which came in the fourth inning when the Red Storm extended a 4-0 lead to 6-0.
Ryan Jones and Josh Hinckley had two hits each for UVU in the loss and Justin Smith suffered his first defeat of the year on the mound.
Utah Valley will have a quick turnaround as the Wolverines travel to Spokane for a four-game series at Gonzaga beginning Friday night.
