April 23, 2011
OREM, Utah - Utah Valley had big production from the middle of its lineup to win 13-3 on Saturday over Chicago State in Great West Conference baseball. The Wolverines (15-18, 7-1) took three of four from the Cougars over the weekend.
Austin Haws led the way with four hits as the middle of the lineup went a combined 14-for-21. Kai Hatch continued his torrid streak on the weekend with three more hits and three batted in - including an RBI triple - to finish the four-game series 12-for-15 (.800).
Austin Heaps also had three hits including the walk-off double in the seventh inning to score two runs, ending the game via the 10-run rule. Chris Benson and Goose Kallunki both added two hits apiece.
"We spent a lot of time working on things and the guys responded well," said head coach Eric Madsen. "I was really pleased with how we went about things offensively today."
After Chicago State scored a single run in the top of the first, Utah Valley would get four in the bottom of the inning and two more in the second to lead 6-1 early on.
In the first, the Wolverines sent 10 hitters to the plate and got on the board when Kallunki singled with the bases loaded to score Haws - who doubled - and Benson. Hatch then singled to drive home Heaps before Alex Exon's fielder's choice plated Kallunki.
Haws singled to lead off the second and scored when Benson tripled to right center before Benson came in on a sac-fly off the bat of Heaps.
Chicago State got two back in the third to make it 6-3, where the score remained until a two-out rally in the sixth for UVU.
With two down and nobody on, Haws and Benson singled before Heaps doubled one run home. Two batters later, Hatch tripled to left center to score two more as the Wolverines got five runs after there were two gone in the inning.
Heaps' seventh-inning double came with two outs and scored Kirk Doxey and Haws, who crossed home plate for the fourth time on the day to end the game.
Ryan Chadwick made his second appearance of the series - after pitching the final inning in Thursday's Jeremy Gendlek-led shutout - throwing 4.1 relief innings without allowing a run. Chadwick was the pitcher of record, improving to 3-1 and in 9.1 innings in GWC play, hasn't allowed a run. Kyle Beecher threw the top of the seventh and also hasn't allowed a run in six innings during conference play.
"Chadwick came in and did a great job. All those shut down innings are huge for us," said Madsen. "Our bullpen was awesome all weekend. Every time we had a reliever come in there were a lot of zeroes."
Utah Valley will host Utah on Tuesday, April 26 before beginning a four-game Great West series on April 28 against NYIT.
