May 20, 2010

HOUSTON, Texas -- A four-run seventh inning helped Utah Valley to a 9-6 win in the opening game of a four-game set at Houston Baptist on Thursday at Husky Field. Jace Brinkerhoff had four hits and three RBI including the go-ahead single in the seventh.

Jake Rickenbach finished 3-for-5 with three runs while Derek Amicone added three hits and two runs. Austin Heaps also drove in a pair on two singles while Goose Kallunki hit his 23rd double of the season and drove in two.

The Wolverines (35-17, 23-2 in GWC) withstood three home runs from the Huskies (26-27, 15-10) with two coming from Johnathon Moore.

Moore hit a three-run home run in the third to give HBU a 3-2 lead after three, where the score remained until the seventh.

Amicone and Rickenbach both singled to start the inning and Jason Zundel reached when his sacrifice bunt was mishandled by HBU third baseman Robbie Buller. Brinkerhoff followed with a base hit to left, scoring both Amicone and Rickenbach.

Two-batters later and with two outs, Kallunki ripped a two-run double off the wall in left to give UVU a 6-3 advantage.

The Wolverines added two runs in the eighth when Amicone scored on a wild pitch and a Brinkerhoff single that scored Rickenbach.

Moore's second home run of the game came in the eighth on a solo shot and Chase Hernandez also hit a solo home run to get HBU back within three runs of UVU at 8-5.

Heaps' second two-out RBI single gave the Wolverines a 9-5 lead in the ninth before the Huskies threatened in the bottom half, bringing Moore to the plate as the tying run with two out before he grounded into a fielder's choice to end it.

Kyle Beecher got the win for Utah Valley, improving to 4-2 while Ryan Chadwick got the save after throwing the final 1.1 innings, his third save of the year.

Dalton Schafer was charged with four earned runs (six total) on 10 hits and took the loss to drop to 7-5.

Utah Valley has now won seven straight overall with the series continuing on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon CT.