BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Ryan Eastburn hit a grand slam and Jake Carr went the distance as Utah Valley University took the opener of a three-game WAC series at CSU Bakersfield, 5-3, on Friday night.
 
Eastburn's grand slam, the first for Utah Valley (11-30, 7-9) this season, came during a five-run third that accounted for all of the Wolverines' runs in the game.
 
The Roadrunners (17-27, 5-11) scored three times in the fourth, but Carr registered the complete-game win behind six strikeouts and seven hits in the series-opening win.
 
In the decisive third inning, Kody Hall started a string of six hits in the inning with a single to left. Trevor Howell and Michael Beltran followed with singles to load the bases for Eastburn, who hit a 2-2 pitch over the wall in right for his second home run of the season.
 
A fielding error allowed Alexander Marco, who singled earlier in the inning, to score UVU's fifth run.
 
Eric Charles had a two-run single for the Runners in the fifth, but Carr didn't allow a hit after that until a one-out single in the ninth. Carr got a groundout and a line out to end the contest, leaving the potential winning run at the plate.
 
The Wolverines finished with 10 hits on the night, two apiece from Mick Madsen and Drew Sims, who doubled twice. UVU survived despite five errors on the night to secure the important series-opening victory.
 
The series continues on Saturday with a 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT start.