2016 WAC Tournament Bracket
CHICAGO – Craig Brinkerhoff and
Mark Krueger both homered drove in four runs as Utah Valley University finished off a sweep of Chicago State University, 14-2 in seven innings, on Saturday at Cougar Stadium.
The win caps an 18-9 WAC season for the Wolverines (33-21 overall) and a third place finish in the regular season standings. The third-seed Wolverines will face No. 6 CSU Bakersfield – the defending tournament champions -- in the first round next Wednesday, May 25 at 7 p.m. MST at Hohokam Park in Mesa, Arizona.
Brinkerhoff's home run – a three-run shot -- was his 10th of the season, as he becomes the first Utah Valley player to hit double-digit home runs since Goose Kallunki's school record 18 in 2012. Krueger hit a two-run home run as part of a six-run seventh inning, his fifth of the season.
The Wolverines jumped out quickly, with three doubles in the top of the first aiding in a three-run inning.
Zac Willis had the first double and he and
Greyson Bogden later scored on a bases-loaded double by Krueger.
Spencer Gothberg's infield single brought home the third run of the inning before
Jake Atkinson hit the third double of the inning.
Utah Valley added four more in the second with Willis' sac fly scoring
Jordan Schlehuber, who led off with a double. Two batters later, Brinkerhoff hit his home run to right-center, giving UVU a 7-0 lead.
In the seventh,
Trevor Howell hit a two-run double as nine of Utah Valley's 13 hits went for extra bases. The Wolverines had a season-high seven doubles with seven different players each collecting one. Five players had multi-hit games for UVU with Bodgen and Brinkerhoff also scoring three runs each.
Jackson Cofer (5-4) lasted six innings and picked up the win. He struck out six and allowed one run on five hits. Dillon Engle (2-11) was tagged for seven earned runs (eight total) in 3.2 innings and took the loss.
Utah Valley swept CSU Bakersfield by scores of 7-4, 11-5 and 10-1 earlier this season in Orem. The Roadrunners seemed unlikely to make the tournament just three weeks ago but closed out the WAC schedule with eight straight conference wins and will now have the opportunity to defend their 2015 WAC Tournament title.
