March 27, 2009
RENO, Nevada - Utah Valley took an early lead but saw Nevada score seven runs over the middle innings and then hold on late for a 7-5 Wolf Pack (9-13) win in the opener of a four-game series on Friday night.
The Wolverines (6-16) threatened in the ninth, putting the tying run on base and the go-ahead run at the plate before Daniel Tinlin got Jace Brinkerhoff to ground out to short to end the game.
UVU entered the ninth down three runs, 7-4, and got the first two runners aboard after Kevin Arendse singled and Cole Anderson followed with a walk.
An out later, Jake Rickenbach singled to right to load the bases with one out for Ryan Jones. Jones reached on a fielder's choice that scored Arendse to get the Wolverines within two runs before Tinlin retired Brinkerhoff.
Nevada has now won 10 straight over Utah Valley and leads the all-time series 10-1.
The Wolverines scored first in the second when Billy Burgess doubled to left and later scored when Arendse reached on a throwing error by second baseman Matt Bowman.
In the third, Rickenbach walked with one out, stole second and then moved to third on a throwing error by catcher Travis Simas. Brinkerhoff then doubled Rickenbach home to put UVU up 2-0. Brinkerhoff came in to score after Kevin Rodland misplayed Chris Benson's hard-hit grounder at short.
Kole Mickolio cruised through the first four innings, allowing just two base runners on a walk and a single. In the fifth though, Nevada had its first five hitters reach on singles, four off of Mickolio before he was lifted for Jory Jensen.
Simas singled on the first pitch from Jensen to tie the game at three and then moved up to second when Bret Hart, the runner at third, was caught in a rundown but was safe when Arendse's throw to third hit Hart in the back.
After Aaron Henry flew out to shallow right for the first out, Rodland hit a sac-fly to center to score Hart on a bang-bang play at the plate, giving Nevada a 4-3 lead.
The Wolf Pack added two more runs in the sixth on a two-run home run to center off the bat of Tyson Jaquez and another run in the seventh on an RBI single by Shaun Kort.
The Wolverines got one of the runs back in the eighth when Josh Hinckley's pinch-hit single up the middle plated Jones, who had doubled earlier in the inning.
The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. MT. The second game of the twin bill will be a seven-inning game.
