May 25, 2011

Photo Gallery

GRAND FORKS, North Dakota - A three-run seventh propelled Utah Valley to a 5-3 win on Wednesday over New York Tech at the Great West Conference Tournament at the University of North Dakota.

Chris Benson looped the first pitch he saw from J.C. Costa down the right field line for a two-run double, breaking a 3-3 tie and helping the Wolverines move into Thursday's winner's bracket final for a chance to advance to Saturday's championship.

Trailing 2-0 in the third, the Wolverines (32-22) got on the board when Cole McWhorter singled home Willie Pratt with two outs in the inning.

Kirk Doxey tied the game in the fifth with a tape-measure shot to left, his third home run of the year. The Bears (18-31) then re-gained the lead in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Rob Cafiero that brought home George Carroll.

In UVU's half of the seventh, Billy Burgess doubled with two outs and nobody on and then came in to score when Pratt hit a grounder towards the middle that ricocheted off the glove of Sean McNamara at second and into center.

Doxey followed Pratt with a base hit and McWhorter walked to load the bases before Benson's double scored the game-winning runs.

Preston Olson started and, after surrendering two early runs, retired 10 of the final 12 hitters he faced. Ryan Chadwick pitched an inning in relief and got the win to move to 5-3 while Josh Swenson threw 2.0 innings to pick up his fifth save.

Utah Valley will now face the winner of the North Dakota/Houston Baptist contest at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday.