May 7, 2009
DALLAS, Texas -- Utah Valley came from six runs back to take a late lead but Dallas Baptist used a walk-off home run from Ryan Enos in the ninth to win the opener of a three-game series, 15-14, on a hot and muggy Thursday night in Texas.
The Wolverines (16-31) out-hit the Patriots (33-14) by a 23-14 margin but DBU took advantage of pitching miscues, scoring six times with runners that reached via walk or hit-by-pitch.
UVU had four hits from senior Ryan Jones, who drove in two runs with two-out singles. Five other players had three-hit days including Chris Benson, who hit a three-run home run in the third and drove in four runs. Jake Rickenbach, Cole Anderson, Jace Brinkerhoff and Kevin Arendse all had three hits as well.
Dallas Baptist was led by Jason Krizan, who hit for the cycle in order. Krizan singled in the first, doubled in the second, tripled in the third and hit a three-run home run in the fifth. He finished 4-for-4 with five runs batted in.
After the Wolverines got a sacrifice fly from Billy Burges in the top of the first, the Patriots scored six times in the bottom of the first. The big blow came on a two-out three-run home run by Trevor Head.
DBU extended the lead to 7-1 in the second when Travis Meiners lined a Jory Jensen pitch over the wall in left.
Benson cut the lead in half with his second home run of the year, to left off of Jared Stafford. But the Patriots got those three runs back in the fourth to again extend the lead to six, 10-4.
Utah Valley began its comeback in the fifth, scoring five runs in the frame including four with two outs and the bases empty.
Burgess tripled to center and then scored on an RBI groundout by Benson. Two batters later, Arendse singled and moved to second on a Goose Kallunki walk. Jones then hit his first two-out RBI single before Rickenbach doubled. Anderson capped the scoring in the inning with a single that plated Rickenbach.
The Patriots answered that with a two-out rally of their own. A pair of two-out walks preceded Krizan's home run, giving DBU a 13-9 advantage.
In the sixth, another two-out rally resulted in another five-run frame, putting the Wolverines up 14-13. With Benson at second and two gone, Arendse, Kallunki and Jones all singled before Rickenbach tripled to tie the game. Anderson then singled on the next pitch to give Utah Valley the lead.
That lead held until the eighth. Krizan led off and was hit by the first pitch of the inning. He then moved up a sacrifice before scoring on Ryan Thompson's single. Enos then ended the game in the ninth with his 15th home run of the year.
The teams continue the series on Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT.
