PROVO, Utah – Justin Erlandson scored the game-tying run in the ninth inning and hit the go-ahead home run in the 11th as Utah Valley University came from behind to beat No. 26 BYU, 7-6, in 11 innings on Tuesday night at Larry H. Miller Field.
The Wolverines (26-18) won their fourth straight, moved to 2-0 against ranked teams this season and ended a five game losing streak against the Cougars (30-11). UVU also evened the season series with BYU and moved to 4-1 against in-state teams this season. Utah Valley and BYU meet for the final time this season next Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at Brent Brown Ballpark in Orem.
The Wolverines rallied to tie it in the top of the ninth after Erlandson singled, stole second and later scored on a grounder off the bat of
Zac Willis, tying the game at five and forcing extra innings. Erlandson's go-ahead homer -- his second of the season – went out just inside the left field pole and above the 345-foot marker.
"He (Erlandson) played really really well. He's been working extremely hard and has put in a ton of work so I'm really happy for him," said UVU head coach
Eric Madsen.
UVU had a series of stellar defensive plays all around the diamond. None more impressive than an over-the-shoulder catch from
Trevor Howell in shallow right center with two on and one out in the bottom of the 11th. The catch came with runners on the corners and one out and would have put the potential winning run on.
Jake Mayer then got Eric Urry on a little pop up back to the mound to end the game.
"Defense is something our guys take a lot of pride in, and really, how much better can you play defensively. There were several balls that looked like hits off the bat. Mark (Krueger) made a couple of great plays and Justin ran down some fly balls too, and Trevor's play was pretty unbelievable," Madsen said.
Howell and Erlandson both had three hits to lead UVU while Willis had two hits and three RBIs including a run-scoring single in the top of the 11th for a crucial insurance run.
Mayer moved to 6-1 with the win, pitching the final three innings allowing just one hit with one unearned run coming in against him. Mason Marshall (1-2) was charged with the loss after allowing three runs in two innings of work.
With the Cougars in front 1-0 in the third,
Jordan Schlehuber hit a one-out single and moved to third when Howell doubled to left center. Willis then blooped a single into left to drive in Schlehuber and tie the game.
Greyson Bogden drove in the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice to give UVU a 2-1 advantage.
BYU came right back with three in the bottom of the inning with Hayden Nielsen tying the game back up on an RBI single thru the middle. A sacrifice fly put the Cougars back in front before a balk allowed another run to score.
The scored remained 4-2 until the seventh, when Utah Valley loaded the bases with nobody out but could only push across one run – on a Schlehuber groundout – to make it a 4-3 game.
The Cougars added an insurance run in the eighth on an RBI double by Keaton Kringlen, but he was cut down trying to stretch it into a triple on a perfect relay from Erlandson to Bogden to Schlehuber at third.
Bogden legged out an infield single to start the eighth and later scored when
Craig Brinkerhoff doubled to left center, getting Utah Valley with a run, 5-4. UVU finished with 13 hits on the night while BYU had 11, three each from Brennon Lund, Nielsen and Kringlen.
The Wolverines are now set for a key WAC series beginning Friday at Sacramento State. Utah Valley is 11-7 in league play and one game back of the Hornets, who sit in third at 12-6. The opener begins Friday at 3 p.m. PT/4 p.m. MT.
