OREM, Utah – Mason Gray and Jesse Schmit combined to allow just four hits and Utah Valley University's offense managed to string together a seven-run eighth en route to leading UVU to a 8-2 victory over Niagara University on Monday night at UCCU Ballpark.
 
The victory snapped a four-game skid by the Wolverines (3-12). UVU and the Purple Eagles (1-11) will conclude the brief two-game midweek series on Tuesday night at UCCU Ballpark.
 
"What a great job by Mason Gray. We were hoping that he'd get us four or five innings, but for him to get as deep as he did was just great. Him and Jesse (Schmit) really battled out there for us tonight and I was really pleased with what those two did," head UVU coach Eric Madsen said. "Offensively, we did a nice job of coming up with some key hits late in the game. We still have to improve on that a bit, but it was nice to see us drive in some runners from second base and pick up some extra-base hits." 
 
Deadlocked in a pitcher's duel early, Utah Valley started the scoring in the fourth thanks to a two-out solo home run from Alexander Marco to take a 1-0 lead. The homer stayed just fair down the rightfield line for Marco's second round tripper of the season.
 
Still 1-0 in the sixth, the Purple Eagles then got things going with a pair of walks to put two on with two outs in the frame. NU's Max Giordano then delivered a deep single off the rightfield wall to drive in the tying run to knot up the score at 1-1. With runners on the corners, UVU freshman starter Gray then responded to draw a flyout off the bat of Cole O'Connor to keep it a 1-1 game. 
 
Niagara then got a leadoff double from Dawson Bailey in the top of the eighth and later threatened with runners on the corners with two away. UVU reliever Schmit then battled back for the Wolverines by striking out Giordano to escape the jam and keep the game deadlocked at 1-1. 
 
The Wolverines then got back-to-back hits from Jake Plecas and Trevor Howell as well as an intentional walk drawn by Michael Beltran to load the bases with nobody out in the last of the eighth. After an out at the plate, UVU's Drew Sims delivered a two-run single through the right side of the infield to give the Wolverines a 3-1 lead. Following a pop up, Utah Valley then managed to drive home five two-out insurance runs to take a decisive 8-1 advantage. Kody Hall, Ty Vargas, Kade Poulsen and Plecas all drove in runs during the decisive stretch, and Hall and Vargas each doubled, to help UVU put the game out of reach.  
 
The Purple Eagles then got back an unearned run following a pair of Wolverine errors in the ninth, but it wasn't enough as UVU held on for the victory. 
 
The freshman Gray pitched a solid 6.0 innings on the night and allowed just two hits and one run while striking out five and walking four in his longest collegiate outing. The reliever Gray earned the win in relief to improve to 2-1 on the season after surrendering just two hits and one unearned run while fanning three and walking one over the final three innings. NU's Matthew Brash (0-3) suffered the loss after giving up just two runs on four hits while striking out eight and walking three in seven-plus innings of work.  
 
Hall, Poulsen and Plecas led the way at the plate for UVU by each recording two hits apiece and all driving in a run, while Sims and Vargas went 1-for-3 and 1-for-4, respectively, with two RBIs apiece. Giordano led the Purple Eagles with a 1-for-4 outing with a run batted in. 
 
NU, who calls the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference home, marks the first team in program history that the Wolverines have ever faced from the MAAC.
 
UVU will close the two-game midweek set against Niagara with a Tuesday at 6 p.m. contest. The Wolverines will then continue their homestand by welcoming UC Irvine to town for a three-game non-conference series beginning this weekend (March 15-17).