May 17, 2009
HONOLULU, Hawai'i -- Chris Benson hit for the cycle and Justin Smith struck out 10 in 8.1 innings as Utah Valley (17-35) ran away from Hawai'i (31-23), 12-1, on Saturday night in front of 4,254 fans at Les Murakami Stadium.
Benson tripled in the first, doubled in the fourth, homered in the sixth and completed the rare feat with a single in the eighth. He finished 4-for-4 with four runs batted in, ending his day with a bases loaded walk in the ninth.
"I was seeing the ball really well and felt good all night," said Benson. "Yesterday was a struggle for me so I really focused during batting practice and it worked out for us tonight."
Smith (8-4) allowed just one run on five hits in reaching double digit strikeouts for the second time this year. Smith finished his season with a team-best 4.73 ERA, 91 k's and the second-highest win total in the school's six-year NCAA history.
"It's been a good year. There have obviously been some disappointments but coming in as a transfer, overall it has been a good season," said Smith. "After playing for Eric (Madsen) and Dave (Carter) I wouldn't want to play anywhere else."
Benson got things started with the first-inning triple, driving in Jake Rickenbach and Cole Anderson for a 2-0 Wolverine lead.
The Rainbows threatened in the second, placing the first two runners on before Smith struck out Christian Johnson for out number one. After he balked the runners to second and third, Smith got a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning. That began a streak of 14 retired batters in a row before a two-out walk in the sixth.
The Wolverines took a 4-0 lead in the fourth when Billy Burgess singled, Benson doubled and both came in to score on a Goose Kallunki single that bounced over the shortstop.
Burgess was 2-for-4 and scored three times, extending his hitting streak to a team season-high 13.
Benson's home run in the sixth, his third of the year, gave UVU a 5-0 lead.
Hawai'i scored its lone run in the seventh after Sean Montplaisir tripled to lead off the inning and scored on a balk by Smith.
Two more Utah Valley runs in the eighth followed by a five-run ninth put the game away for the Wolverines. In the ninth, Benson walked to force in a run, Kevin Arendse singled to score Anderson and Josh Hinckley doubled down the first base line to drive in a pair of runs.
Nate Klein (2-4) took the loss, allowing four runs on five hits in four innings of work. Brian Whatcott relieved Smith after a one-out walk in the ninth and retired the final two batters of the game.
Benson's cycle is the second of the season for UVU. Riley White also hit for the cycle in an early-season win over Northern Colorado.
Utah Valley will attempt a series split on Sunday in the final game of the 2009 season. First pitch is schedule for 1:05 p.m. HT.
