March 19, 2011
OREM, Utah -- Austin Heaps' 10th-inning walk-off home run completed an improbable comeback as Utah Valley erased a 10-run deficit to defeat Southern Utah 13-11 on Saturday at Brent Brown Ballpark. The win marks the largest comeback that UVU has had in eight NCAA Division I seasons.
The Wolverines (4-12) trailed 11-1 after five and a half innings before scoring six times in the sixth, three in the eighth and two more in the ninth to force the extra frame. Seven errors by the Thunderbirds (8-9) aided in the comeback.
"We got a start there late, got some opportunities and some big-time clutch hits," said head coach Eric Madsen. "Where we're at right now, this win could put us over the edge. Several guys stepped up and made big plays."
In the 10th, Chris Benson doubled with two outs and nobody on before Heaps crushed the first pitch from Chris Chung over the wall in right. UVU got out of a bases loaded, one out jam in the top half of the inning when Craig Brimhall came out of the bullpen and got a grounder to Cole McWhorter at second for a 4-3 double play. McWhorter tagged baserunner Taylor Shaw before completing the twin killing to first, ending the inning.
Early on it looked like Southern Utah would get a series sweep but in the sixth the Wolverines used an error, walk and three hit batters to help put five runs on the board to cut the lead in half.
In the eighth, SUU had three errors after there were two out and nobody on and Benson knocked in a run with one of his three hits to make it 11-9.
The Wolverines seemed destined for a loss again in the ninth when Billy Burgess popped up with two outs but the ball was dropped allowing UVU extra life.
With pinch-runner Derek Amicone at first with two outs, Alex Exon fell behind 0-2 before working the count even and then doubled down the right field, putting the tying run at second. Jason Zundel then delivered a clutch single to center to plate both Amicone and Austin Haws - who ran for Exon - tying the game.
Heaps' walk-off home run is the first since Sage Thorpe hit one March 18, 2010 against Portland. It's also the first walk-off win the Wolverines have had this year and the third time in the six games between UVU and SUU this season that the game was won in a team's final at-bat.
In Saturday's game, Benson had three hits, totaling eight for the series, while Exon had two hits and was 4-for-7 in two starts during the series. Goose Kallunki also had two hits for Utah Valley and Kai Hatch homered in the third for the Wolverines.
Brimhall got the win on the mound and the work of Josh Swenson over four-plus innings gave the Wolverines a chance. Swenson struck out three over 4.0 innings and kept SUU of the scoreboard to allow for the comeback.
UVU will now travel to Sacramento State next week for a three-game series beginning Friday at 3 p.m. MT. All three games in the series can be heard live on WolverineGreen.com.
