May 1, 2009

GREELEY, Colo. -- Jace Brinkerhoff became Utah Valley's career hit leader with a four-hit day but a late comeback was wasted after an 8-7 loss at Northern Colorado. The Wolverines (13-30) tied the game with three runs in the ninth but Andy Mees gave the Bears (12-30) the walk-off win with a home run.

UVU trailed 7-4 heading into the ninth and got a walk a four hits to score three times. RBI singles from Brinkerhoff and Kirk Doxey got the Wolverines within a run, 7-6. Chris Benson then delivered a clutch two-out single past Mees at first to score Brinkerhoff and tie the game at seven.

Mees ended the game when he hit a high fly ball over the wall in center for UNC's first walk-off win since 2004.

Brinkerhoff hit his record 209th hit on an infield single in the first inning. Infield singles became the theme off of UNC starter Joe Willman. Willman was effective over the first seven innings, allowing just seven scattered hits and an unearned run. Four of the hits never left the infield.

UVU got to Willman in the eighth with a Brinkerhoff single, a walk and back-to-back RBI singles from Billy Burgess and Benson. The Wolverines scored three times in the the eighth to trim a 5-1 deficit to one.

Northern Colorado answered with two in the bottom of the eighth when Tony Crudo, who had three hits on the day, hit a ball to right that turned from a single into a triple when it took a bad hop over Doxey's head. Crudo scored when Tyler Borzileri grounded out to second.

Kevin Sandberg (3-4) got the win while Zach Bennett (0-2) took the loss for UVU. Sandberg lost a chance for his fourth save when he allowed the three ninth-inning runs.

Benson and Ryan Jones both had two hits each for the Wolverines. Mees drove in four on the day after going 3-for-4 with the home run and a double.

The two teams meet again in a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.