OREM, Utah – Trevor Peterson hit a grand slam as part of a nine-run second inning and the Utah Valley University baseball team took down Northern Colorado, 15-5, in game two of a doubleheader to clinch its first WAC series of the year at UCCU Ballpark on Saturday night.
The victory marks the second-straight series win for Utah Valley (9-12, 2-1) and gives them wins in four of their last five contests. UVU also swept Saturday's double header with Northern Colorado (15-10, 1-2) with the win.
The Wolverines produced three home runs on the night while Brett Minnick added one for Northern Colorado. After scoring 15 runs on 21 hits earlier in the afternoon, UVU followed it up by scoring 15 runs on 17 hits. UNC committed two errors to Utah Valley's one. All of UVU's 15 runs came on RBI's.
The Bears threatened to score first as they loaded the bases in the top of the second inning with no outs.
Kaden Schmitt then struck out the next three batters he faced to get out of the jam and give UVU some momentum for the bottom of the inning. Schmitt put in five innings of work for the Wolverines and fanned eight of the 24 batters he faces. He also earned the win on the night.
Utah Valley's big second inning opened as
Ethan Payne drilled a two-run homer to left field and scored
Ryan Eastburn.
Pacen Hayes followed with a double to deep center field and scored
Kade Poulsen. The Wolverines proceeded to load the bases which led to
Trevor Peterson hitting the first UVU grand slam since 2016. The big inning continued and Poulsen capped it in his second at bat of the frame with a two-RBI double to bring home Eastburn and
Jackson Overlund.
Northern Colorado responded with five runs through the ensuing three innings, but Utah Valley scored three of its own runs over that stretch, including a home run from
Michael Beltran, to maintain its lead.
Neither team scored again until UVU earned three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Payne and
Pacen Hayes both put together RBI singles and
Trevor Howell lined one off the left field wall to score Payne and enforce the 10-run rule.
Utah Valley now takes a brief pause from WAC play as it hosts rival BYU in the Crosstown Clash on Tuesday, March 24. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. MST and live video will be available via the WAC Digital Network and UVU TV. Conference play will then resume on Thursday, March 26 when UTRGV visits UCCU Ballpark for the first of a three-game series.
