April 21, 2009
OREM, Utah -- Billy Burgess hit a fifth-inning grand slam and Justin Smith pitched into the ninth as Utah Valley held off Southern Utah 8-7 on Tuesday night in Orem.
It was Burgess' fifth home run and second grand slam of the year and gave the Wolverines (12-28) an 8-3 lead. Smith (5-3) threw 8.1 innings and allowed six earned runs (seven total) on 10 hits while striking out eight. Kyle Beecher came on to retire the final two batters of the game to record his second save, both of which have come against the T-Birds (20-16).
"Justin was going on just three day's rest and after struggling yesterday Billy came in and worked hard in BP," said head coach Eric Madsen. "Cole (Anderson) made some incredible plays defensively and I thought Dick (Bargewell) really gave us a lift. It was a total team effort."
Bargewell, who was inserted into the lineup just before the game when Chris Benson was scratched due to illness, was 3-for-3 with a run. Burgess finished with two hits and Sage Thorpe also had a pair of hits, a triple and a double.
UVU broke through first when Anderson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Another run came in when Ryan Jones grounded into a double play with the bases full, giving the Wolverines a 2-0 lead.
SUU got one of the runs back in the third after three straight singles to open the inning. The T-Birds then took the lead in the fourth on Ray Wright's double that plated both Garrett Messerly and Colby Ford.
That lead was short-lived when Utah Valley answered with two in the bottom of the inning. Burgess walked and Bargewell singled and moved up to second when Burgess went from first to third. After Anderson grounded to third for the first out, Jones hit a grounder that Keli'i Zablan couldn't handle at second, allowing both runners to score.
The Wolverines were also helped by an error in the fifth. Thorpe doubled and Jace Brinkerhoff walked to begin the inning. Kirk Doxey followed with a grounder to third but Bo Cuthberson's throw to second pulled Zablan off the bag, loading the bases. Burgess then lined a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left to give UVU the five-run cushion.
Smith retired nine out of 10 batters from the end of the fourth into the seventh. Southern Utah got a single from Freitas, who moved to second on a passed ball, to third on a balk and then scored on a wild pitch. After Chester Wilson singled with two out, Zablan then doubled, scoring Wilson before he was thrown out trying to leg out a triple.
After Smith retired the side in order in the eighth and then Wright to begin the ninth, Cuthbertson reached on an error before Freitas homered to make it a one-run game.
Beecher then came on to get Bucky Aona on a slow chopper to Brinkerhoff and third and Wilson to ground out to Rickenbach at short to end the game.
The Wolverines will be off this weekend before hosting BYU next Monday night at 6 p.m. They'll then close out the 2009 home schedule with Utah on Tuesday at 6 p.m. on Senior Night.
