SURPRISE, Ariz. – Utah Valley University dropped its final game of the season-opening weekend, 3-1, to Ball State on Sunday at the Surprise Baseball Complex.

The Wolverines (2-2) finished the weekend with a two-game split against the Cardinals (1-3), a loss to Minnesota, and a win over No. 5 Oregon State.

Zac Willis had the lone RBI for UVU, driving in Jeff Arens in the top of the seventh inning. Arens reached on a pinch-hit, hustle double that was hit into the hole at short and glanced off the shortstop's outstretched glove and into shallow left field.
 
UVU had chances in its final two at-bats, but 6-4-3 double plays ended both innings, including the ninth.

Ball State scored its runs on an errant pick off attempt in the fourth inning, a ball that got through the right side of the infield in the sixth, and on a wild pitch in the bottom of eighth.
 
Sophomore Kaden Schmitt was solid on the mound for the Wolverines, lasting into the sixth inning and allowing one earned run (two total) while striking out a career-best five hitters, but took the loss.
 
Kevin Marnon pitched 6.2 innings, allowing one run on four hits and picked up the win. BJ Butler pitched the final 2.1 innings for the save.
 
Marnon retired the first nine hitters of the game before issuing a walk to Greyson Bogden leading off the fourth. The first Wolverine hit didn't come until the fifth, on a base hit by Stone Ramsey past the shortstop with one out.
 
Utah Valley finished with six hits – two from Bogden – while the Cardinals had four hits.
 
The Wolverines now head to the Bay Area for a single game at San Francisco in a game that will be played in Berkeley at Cal's field. UVU will be at Santa Clara four the Jack Gifford Memorial Tournament next weekend.