MORAGA, Calif. – David Modler hit a go-ahead, three-run home run in the eighth inning to help Utah Valley University pick up a split of a Saturday doubleheader at Saint Mary's with a 6-3 win. The Gaels (24-18) defeated the Wolverines (14-26) in game one of the twin bill, 7-2.
UVU trailed 3-0 in the seventh inning when
Jackson Overlund tripled and came in to score on a base hit by
Ryan Eastburn. Later, with Modler at third and two down,
Jake Berry added a clutch RBI base hit to get the Wolverines within a run, at 3-2.
In the eighth,
Trevor Howell walked before back-to-back strikeouts left one on and two outs. Eastburn was hit by the first pitch of his at-bat before Modler hit the very next pitch over the right-center wall to give Utah Valley a 5-3 lead.
The home run for Modler, his second, came against Saint Mary's closer Michael Hobbs, who was bidding for his 12th save and hadn't allowed a home run all season in 18 prior appearances.
The Wolverines added an insurance run in the ninth after
Callahan Moltzan doubled and later scored on a two-out single by Howell.
Jake Carr tossed the final 3.1 innings in relief of
Paxton Schultz. Carr (4-1) got the win after not allowing a run on one hit and striking out four, including the side in order in the bottom of the ninth. Schultz struck out seven and surrendered three runs on 10 hits in 5.2 innings. Hobbs (2-3) took the loss for Saint Mary's, despite retiring all five of his outs via strikeout.
In game one of the doubleheader, Overlund homered and Howell had two hits, but it was all UVU had to show offensively. The Gaels scored one in the first and then pulled away with four in the fifth and two more in the sixth.
Jackson Thoreson doubled home two runs in the sixth and finished with four RBIs; a sacrifice fly in the first and a bases-loaded walk in the sixth provided the other two.
Joey Fiske finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored while Saint Mary's starter Ken Waldichuk struck out 11, surrending only the Overlund homer on two hits while not allowing a walk. He threw 83 pitches with 60 coming as strikes.
The series concludes on Sunday at 1 p.m. PT/2 p.m. MT with Utah Valley in search of a series split.
