April 3, 2011

RENO, Nevada - Utah Valley couldn't survive a late rally as Nevada forced extra innings with a three-run ninth and went on to win 8-7 in 10 innings on Sunday afternoon at Peccole Park.

Chris Benson hit a three-run home run for the Wolverines (7-16) and Goose Kallunki added a solo shot.

The Wolverines led for nearly the entire game before the Wolfpack (7-16) scored three times with two outs in the ninth to tie the game and then got an infield single by Nick Melino off the foot of pitcher Ty Hansen to score the winning run from third with two outs in the 10th.

UNR forced extra innings after Joe Kohan, who also homered in the fourth, got a bases loaded single with two down in the ninth. Jamison Rowe was able to score from first after an errant throw to third got into the Wolverine dugout.

Benson's home run gave Utah Valley a 3-0 lead in the third before Carlos Escobar Jr. hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning to trim the lead to 3-2.

The Wolverines got Kallunki's home run in the fourth and then a two-out triple by Kirk Doxey to make it 5-2. Kai Hatch and Cole McWhorter both had RBI singles for the Wolverines, who took a 7-3 lead into the bottom of the eighth.

Nevada had the bases loaded and one out in the seventh when Zane Gray came in and got Melino to ground into a 6-4-3 double play.

The Wolfpack threatened again in the eighth, bringing one run home and putting runners a first and second with no outs. Again Gray limited the damage with another double play and a ground ball to end the inning with a 7-4 lead.

Benson had four hits to lead UVU and was 10-for-17 with two home runs in the series. Court Zollinger had a three-hit day for the Wolverines.

Utah Valley plays at BYU on Tuesday at 6 p.m. MT before opening Great West Conference play on Friday with a four-game series at NJIT.