IRVINE, Calif. – Jackson Overlund produced four RBI's and the Utah Valley University men's baseball team rattled off six runs in the seventh inning as it defeated UC Irvine by a score of 9-5 to earn a 2-1 series victory at Anteater Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.
Overlund's RBI's came on a 3-for-5 batting performance with two doubles.
Trevor Peterson went 2-for-4 on the day with an RBI and a walk while Michael Beltran scored two runs, stole two bases and knocked in an RBI on a 3-for-4 game from the plate. Starting pitcher Walker Ramsey gave the Wolverines four and one third innings of work while striking out six batters.
Utah Valley improved to 7-11 for the year with the win and claimed its first series win of the season.
UC Irvine jumped out to an early lead for the second-straight game as an RBI double in the bottom of the first gave the Anteaters a 1-0 advantage. The Wolverines got on the board two innings later as Michael Beltran notched a leadoff single and then stole second base.
David Modler and
Trevor Peterson then drew consecutive walks to load the bases and Overlund drilled a two-RBI single to right field to give Utah Valley a 2-1 lead. UVU wasn't done for the inning as Peterson capitalized on a fielding error to cross home plate and put the Wolverines up 3-1.
The fifth inning turned into a big one for UCI as it matched Utah Valley's three-run third. A single and a walk to open the inning became difficult to overcome as Irvine capitalized and regained the lead, 4-3.
The deficit did not last long for UVU as the Wolverines produced a late-inning rally for the second-consecutive game. Like the third inning, Beltran again led off with a single to spark the run and
Trevor Howell followed with another single. Peterson then singled to score Beltran and tie the game, and Overlund belted a two-RBI double to put the Wolverines ahead 6-4.
Utah Valley was just getting started for the inning as Ryan Eastburn scored Overlund with a single to left field. Pacen Hayes added another single and Drew Sims produced an RBI single. Beltran then smacked a single in his second at bat of the inning to score UVU's sixth run of the inning and give it a 9-4 lead. The Anteaters got one run back in the bottom of the inning, but it would be their last of the game.
Irvine threatened to have a big inning in the eighth as they loaded the bases with just one out, but junior pitcher Fabian Palacios came on in relief of
Marco Briones to strike out the first batter he faced and force a ground out to get out of the jam. Palacios remained on the mound for the ninth inning where he retired the side in order and sealed the win for the Wolverines.
Utah Valley now shifts its focus to a three-game series with Northern Colorado in its first game of the year at UCCU Ballpark. Game one will take place on Friday, March 23, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:00 p.m. MST.
