April 2, 2011
RENO, Nevada - A new-look lineup paid dividends for Utah Valley as the Wolverines pounded out a season-high 26 hits in a 19-6 win at Nevada on Saturday.
All 10 players with at-bats had at least one hit and Austin Heaps, Billy Burgess and Kai Hatch each had four hits. Heaps doubled three times and drove in four runs, Burgess hit a three-run home run and Hatch had an RBI triple in the second for the Wolverines (7-15).
"Yesterday I thought we started to change our approach in a good way and today we really stayed in it," said head coach Eric Madsen. "I was really pleased how we kept the pressure on every inning."
While the offensive lineup wasn't a complete overhaul, several UVU players were in different spots defensively. Goose Kallunki had a three-hit, three-RBI day while making his first collegiate start at third base. Hatch started at short and Kirk Doxey made his first start of the year at designated hitter, doing so in the lead-off spot. Heaps, who has been the DH for the majority of the season, made his fifth start of the season at first base.
Trailing 3-0 after one inning, UVU got back-to-back doubles from Heaps and Kallunki to start the second. After Court Zollinger sacrificed Kallunki to third, Hatch ripped a triple to left center and then scored on an RBI ground out by Jason Zundel.
Nevada got two back in the bottom of the inning, the first on Nick Melino's second home run of the series, to take a 5-4 lead after two.
The Wolverines answered with three more in the third, two in the fourth and five in the fifth to take control of the game.
In the third, Kallunki's base hit plated Chris Benson and Burgess and Doxey walked with two outs and the bases full to score another run. Heaps' second double of the game scored both fourth-inning runs to push the UVU lead to 9-5.
In the fifth, the Wolverines took advantage of a throwing error to extend the inning and score five times after there were two out. Heaps drove home two more with his third double and Zollinger also had a two-run double in the frame, giving Utah Valley at 14-5 lead.
The Wolfpack (6-16) would threaten to put a dent in the score in the sixth, getting a run and loading the bases with one out. Josh Swenson came in for Utah Valley and recorded back-to-back strikeouts, getting Hugo Hernandez looking and Curtis Frisbie swinging on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.
The Wolverines scored five more in the eighth - two on a base hit by Cole McWhorter and three on Burgess' home run - to score a season-high 19 runs on the afternoon.
Preston Olson (1-0) pitched 3.1 innings out of the bullpen and allowed just one run on two hits to get the win and Swenson threw 3.2 scoreless innings to get a save, his third of the year. Brock Stassi - the 2010 WAC Pitcher of the Year - allowed seven runs in 2.1 innings and took the loss.
Both Benson and Burgess each scored four runs and Utah Valley had seven doubles as a team. Heaps' three doubles ties a school record for doubles in a game while the 26 team hits are tied for second-most all-time. Doxey finished with three hits and reached base five times.
The series concludes on Sunday at 1 p.m. PT/2 p.m. MT from Peccole Park. A win would give the Wolverines their first series win against Nevada in five tries.
