March 18, 2012
MORAGA, Calif. -- Preston Olson and Josh Swenson combined on a 3-0 shutout to help Utah Valley University (7-10) pick up a doubleheader split on Sunday at Saint Mary's College (11-7). The Wolverines dropped the first game to the West Coast Conference's Gaels, 10-2.
Olson threw six innings and struck out a career-high nine to move to 2-0 while Swenson finished the final three innings -- allowing just one hit -- to earn his second save of the week.
"Preston gave us a great start and pitched pretty dominantly and Josh came in and did the same thing," said UVU head coach Eric Madsen. "Our energy was much better the second game, which led to better focus and goods things happened because of that."
UVU scored all three of its runs in the third inning; with runners at second and third and one down, Billy Burgess singled to short to score Jordy Hart before Sean Moysh came in on a throwing error on the play. Goose Kallunki had the third RBI in the inning with a fielder's choice to plate Burgess.
Olson struck out two hitters in each of the first, third, fourth and sixth innings and finished off his outing with a strikeout of Nick Rosso with runners at the corners in the sixth.
Swenson's outing started with a base hit on his first pitch to Toby DeMello before Donald Collins lined the next pitch towards the hole at first, where Kallunki snared the liner and stepped on first to complete a big double play. Swenson then retired seven straight to end the game.
In the opener, the Wolverines scored first when Burgess lined a pitch over the wall in right to make it a 2-0 game right off the bat. Saint Mary's answered with two in the bottom half of the inning before Patrick Wisdom led off the third with a solo home run, giving the Gaels the lead for good.
Martin Agosta went eight innings for Saint Mary's and didn't allow a run after Burgess' home run in the first, improving to 3-0.
The Gaels used a four-run fourth to take a 7-2 lead with Chris Murphy capping the inning with a two-out, two-run single.
Wisdom went 3-for-4 with the home run and a pair of doubles with three RBIs and three runs scored. Troy Channing also finished with three hits and two RBIs for the Gaels. Burgess' two hits led UVU in the first game.
The Wolverines, after playing their first 17 games away from Brent Brown Ballpark, open their home schedule on Thursday against Sacramento State to begin a three-game series and the start of 11 straight at home.
"We're looking forward to getting home. To split on this road trip is a big deal and now, going into our home stand, it's going to be great to be home in front of our fans," Madsen said.
