March 23, 2010
SALT LAKE CITY - Utah Valley erased an early three-run deficit to defeat Utah 6-4 on Tuesday night at Spring Mobile Ballpark. Billy Burgess had three hits - two doubles and a triple - and drove in three runs for the Wolverines (6-8).
Burgess also scored twice, including what turned out to be the game-winning run in the sixth inning, and finished the game 3-for-5. Jace Brinkerhoff and Sage Thorpe both went 3-for-5 as well with Brinkerhoff scoring twice for Utah Valley.
"I was really pleased with our patience at the plate. After what happened last weekend to see us turn around and swing the bats like we did was great to see," said UVU head coach Eric Madsen.
In his first collegiate start, Blake Krahenbuhl got the win after throwing 6.0 innings and giving up four runs on six hits. Ryan Chadwick threw a scoreless seventh inning and Craig Brimhall pitched the final two scoreless innings including a perfect ninth to earn his first save.
After Utah scored a run in its first at-bat, Burgess led off the second with a double and later scored on a base hit by Austin Heaps, tying the game at 1-1.
The Utes got three in the bottom of the third, the first on a solo home run by Cooper Blanc. Nick Kuroczko had an RBI double and C.J. Cron got an RBI on a sacrifice fly for the other two runs in the inning, putting the Utes (9-9) in front 4-1.
In the fourth Thorpe singled to lead off the inning and moved over to third when Brinkerhoff bounced a seeing-eye single up the middle. Burgess brought both runners home with another double, this to right-center but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple.
Utah led 4-3 after five when Brinkerhoff led off the sixth with a base hit. Burgess then delivered his third extra base hit of the game with a triple to right-center to tie the game. Chris Benson extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a base hit to left, plating Burgess and giving the Wolverines the lead for good.
Goose Kallunki drove in the third run of the inning when his sac-fly to left brought in Heaps, putting Utah Valley up 6-4.
In the bottom of the eighth against Brimhall, the first two Utah hitters reached on base hits bringing Cron to the plate as the go-ahead run. Brimhall got Cron to fly out to shallow right for the first out and then, on a 1-2 pitch, struck out Devin Walker as catcher Kevin Arendse threw out Michael Beltran trying to steal third for an inning-ending double play.
Up next, the Wolverines host Gonzaga in a three-game series beginning Thursday at 6 p.m. at Brent Brown Ballpark.
