OREM, Utah – Despite jumping out to an early lead, Utah Valley University saw North Dakota's bats catch fire in dropping the WAC series opener 13-7 on Friday at Brent Brown Ballpark.
 
The Wolverines (14-12, 2-2) led 5-1 after two innings but the Fighting Hawks (4-13, 1-3) scored in eight of nine innings, including their final seven at-bats to earn the win.
 
"Number one, you've got to give North Dakota a lot of credit. We got on them early and they didn't quit and played hard throughout the game and really beat us up," said UVU head coach Eric Madsen. "We just didn't perform well at all tonight."
 
After North Dakota jumped ahead with a run in the top of the first, Mark Krueger tied it in the bottom half of the inning with a two-out triple to left that drove in Trevor Howell.
 
Craig Brinkerhoff hit a solo home run to begin a four-run second for the Wolverines on a towering fly ball to left for his second long ball of the season. Later in the inning, Zac Willis doubled to the corner in left to bring in Justin Erlandson and Howell before Bogden singled home Willis to give UVU a 5-1 lead.
 
UND chipped away though, getting a solo home run from Miles Lewis in the third, and RBI double by Ellery Bresnahan in the fourth, and a two-run double by Tyler Midas in the fifth to tie the game.
 
The Fighting Hawks took the lead in the sixth after putting runners at the corner with nobody out. UND scored the run on a double play, Utah Valley's third defensive twin killing of the game.
 
North Dakota scored four times in the seventh -- all with two outs – on an RBI single by Brett Harrison and a three-run home run to right from Bresnahan. UND took a 10-5 lead after seven and added two more in the eighth, giving the Fighting Hawks 11 consecutive runs after trailing 5-1.
 
Bresnahan had a career day, going 4-for-5 with the home run, two doubles and four RBIs and finished a triple shy of the cycle. Ben Reznicek and Brett Harrison both added three hits for UND while Midas drove in three runs. UND finished with a season-high in both runs (13) and hits (20).
 
Howell had three hits for Utah Valley while four others had two-hit days including two doubles from Willis. The Wolverines finished with 13 hits on the night.  
 
Zach Muckenhirn (2-4) lasted six innings and picked up the win for North Dakota while Evan Fresquez (1-2) took the loss for Utah Valley.
 
The series continues on Saturday at 6 p.m. MT with Danny Beddes slated to start for Utah Valley and Brett DeGagne´ going for North Dakota.