OREM, Utah—Utah Valley recorded a season-high 19 hits and scored a season-high 16 runs to defeat Western Athletic Conference foe UT Rio Grande Valley 16-11 Friday night at Brent Brown Ballpark.
 
The Wolverines improve to 29-20 overall and kept pace with Sacramento State to remain in a tie for third place in the WAC with a 14-8 record. UTRGV falls to 19-25 overall and 8-11 in league play.
 
"It was a pretty sloppy game and I was disappointed in the energy we brought and we need to do a better job on the defensive side of the ball," Utah Valley head coach Eric Madsen said. "UTRGV is well-coached and they are going to compete and keep fighting and you just can't let them hang around. There are a lot of positives on the offensive side. Every time they scored, we answered.
 
Each of UVU's nine starters registered at least one hit and scored at least one run in the win.  Mark Krueger led the Wolverines at the plate on the night, going 3-for-3 with four RBIs, three runs, a double and a walk. Stone Ramsey went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a pair of runs scored. Spencer Gothberg was 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs, one run, and a pair of walks.
 
"Krueger knocked in a bunch of runs tonight," Madsen said. "He had been struggling a little bit so it was good to see that happen. He had a great night for us.  Offensively, I thought a lot of our guys did a good job of going into the game with a good plan and staying with it. Tomorrow we need to come out and be much cleaner and play a different style of game."
 
Danny Beddes improved to 7-3 on the season with the win on the mound, working 5.0 innings with six strikeouts.
 
Trailing by one run, 5-4, in the bottom of the fourth inning, Utah Valley scored six runs to take a 10-5 lead. Greyson Bogden started the scoring with a double down the right field line, scoring both Ramsey and Trevor Howell. Krueger then singled to left center to score Craig Brinkerhoff and Zac Willis. Krueger then stole second before crossing the plate on a Gothberg single to left center, which also scored Brinkerhoff from third.
 
The Vaqueros loaded up the bases to open the sixth inning, but UVU pitcher Evan Fresquez limited UTRGV to just one run before hurling a strikeout and then forcing a double play to end the inning.
 
After giving up a run in the top half of the sixth, Utah Valley added two more runs in the bottom half. Gothberg singled through the right side to help Brinkerhoff cross the plate. Ramsey then singled to right to score Krueger, giving the Wolverines a 12-6 advantage.
 
The Wolverines responded to a UTRGV four-run eighth inning with four runs of their own in the eighth to hold on to a six-run lead, 16-10. Ramsey singled to left field, scoring Justin Erlandson and Krueger. Zac Willis singled through the right side to help Ramsey and Gothberg across the plate.
 
Utah Valley then limited UTRGV to one run in the ninth to secure the 16-11 win.
 
The Wolverines play game two of a three-game series against the Vaqueros on Saturday. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.