LOS ANGELES – Jackson Overlund hit a three-run home run and Jake Mayer pitched six strong innings as Utah Valley University topped Pac 12 USC, 5-1, in the season opener on Friday night at Dedeaux Field.
 
Mayer allowed one run on four hits and struck out six in picking up the win in his first career opening day start. Marco Briones, pitching near his hometown of Alhambra, California, tossed three hitless innings and struck out three in earning a save.

The Trojans (0-1) were limited to just four hits on the night and got three of those on singles to lead off each of the first three innings. Mayer worked around each baserunner and the game remained scoreless until the Wolverines (1-0) got a clutch, two-out hit by Paul Estrada in the fifth. Callahan Moltzan led off the fifth with a single, and two batters later stood at third with two down. Estrada came through with an RBI triple to drive in the first run of the season and give Utah Valley a 1-0 lead.
 
Michael Beltran singled to lead off the sixth and Trevor Peterson walked before Overlund's three-run homer to left gave the Wolverines a 4-0 advantage.
 
USC scored its run in the sixth when Lars Nootbaar doubled to begin the inning and later scored on a groundball to short. UVU added an insurance run in the seventh when David Modler walked with one out, moved to third on a single by Trevor Howell, and then scored on a wild pitch.
 
Beltran had a pair of hits with six others recording one for an eight-hit night for Utah Valley while Modler walked three times and scored a run for the Wolverines.
 
Nootbaar had two of USC's four hits with Chris Clarke taking the loss for the Trojans after allowing four runs on six hits in five innings. Austin Manning came out the bullpen for USC and struck out six in four scoreless frames.
 
The series continues on Saturday at 2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT with southpaw Jackson Cofer slated to take the mound for the Wolverines.