PULLMAN, Wash. – Zac Willis hit a solo home run in the top of the 11th to break an 8-8 tie as Utah Valley University topped Washington State, 10-9, on Saturday at Bailey-Brayton Field. The win came in the Wolverines' (6-6) first extra-inning contest of the season and assured UVU of at least a series split against the Cougars (4-7).
 
Justin Erlandson had an infield single in the 11th and later stole third before scoring on a wild pitch for an important insurance run that would factor in the final. WSU got an RBI single from Dugan Shirer with two outs in the bottom of the 11th but Kyle Valgardson got Trek Stemp to ground into a fielder's choice to end it.

"Tonight was a good response after yesterday's game, especially after we found ourselves down four runs early," said UVU head coach Eric Madsen.
 
Craig Brinkerhoff had a three-run home run for the Wolverines while Washington State had a three-run blast of its own from Stefan Van Horn. Brinkerhoff's home run came in the sixth inning and capped back-to-back four-run innings for the Wolverines, giving Utah Valley an 8-7 lead.
 
"Being able to answer their home run with one of our own was pivotal, and Zac has come up with some big hits for us so far and none were bigger than that," said Madsen.
 
Willis, Greyson Bogden and Spencer Gothberg each had two hits for UVU. Mason Cerrillo and Shirer had three-hit days for the Cougars with Cerrillo also driving in four runs.

Utah Valley found itself down early following a four-run third inning from Washington State. Cerrillo drove in three of those runs on a bases-loaded double.
 
UVU's first four-run frame came in the fifth and tied the game at 4-4. Paul Estrada had an RBI single and Mark Krueger an RBI double to make it a 4-2 game. Gothberg singled home Estrada before Ryne Edmondson walked with the bases loaded to tie the game.
 
Van Horn's three-run homer came in the bottom of the fifth and answered UVU's top half of the inning before Brinkerhoff's home run in the sixth. Bogden preceded the home run with an RBI double that plated Jordan Schlehuber, who scored two runs in the contest.
 
Washington State tied it in the bottom of the sixth on a base hit by Cerrillo to make it at 8-8, where the game stood until Willis' home run to center.
 
Kyle Valgardson got the win, his first decision of the season, after throwing two innings in relief. Valgardson escaped the 10th with an inning-ending strikeout with the potential winning run at third for Washington State.
 
Patrick Wolfe preceded Valgardson and pitched 3.0 hitless innings and struck out three. He has now struck out 19 hitters in 13.0 innings so far this season, setting a new career-high for strikeouts in a season just 12 games in. Trenton Dupre (0-1) took the loss for the Cougars.
 
"Pat continues to impress. We knew before the season he'd be a key arm for us and he's showing the progress he's made with another great performance," Madsen said.
 
UVU won the series opener behind a four-hit shutout, 8-0, before Washington State even the series with a 10-1 win on Friday. The series concludes on Sunday at noon PT/1 p.m. MT.