NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -- Freshmen Tate Harding and Jake Atkinson both hit solo home runs in their college debuts, but it produced the only runs for Utah Valley University in a 3-2 loss to Gonzaga in the season opener at Matador Field, home of Cal State Northridge. The Wolverines will now face CSUN at 2:45 p.m. MT.

Danny Beddes struck out nine batters in 6.2 innings and Logan Hold pitched the final 1.1 innings for the Wolverines (0-1). All three runs were charged to Beddes. In addition to his home run, Harding finished 3-for-4 in his debut and Atkinson had a pair of hits.

The Bulldogs (1-0) scored first in the bottom of the first inning on a pair of doubles and maintained that lead until the fifth, when Harding homered to left on the first pitch of the inning. Gonzaga answered in the bottom half of the inning on a two-out base hit by Sam Brown.

Atkinson's long ball came with two outs in the seventh, just after Harding doubled but was thrown out trying to take third. The 2-2 tie was short-lived with the Bulldogs again responding with a run on a two-put triple by Mitchell Gunsolus. All three Gonzaga runs came on two-out hits. The Wolverines threatened in the ninth, putting runners on the corners with one out, but couldn't push across the tying run.

Following single games Friday and Saturday against Cal State Northridge, UVU will face Gonzaga again on Sunday at 11 a.m. MT.