HILLSBORO, Ore. – The Portland Pilots managed to overcome a 5-1 deficit on their way to recording a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over Utah Valley University in the first game of a Friday afternoon doubleheader at Ron Tonkin Field in Hillsboro, Oregon. 
 
UP (4-1) scored three in the fifth, one in the seventh and one in the eighth to complete the comeback and tie the non-conference four-game series at one game apiece. 
 
After jumping out to an early lead in the series opener on Thursday, the Wolverines (1-5) again didn't waste any time getting things going by scoring three runs in the top of the first to take a quick 3-0 advantage. After back-to-back hits from Connor Hall and Mitch Moralez put runners on second and third with nobody out, it then took a two-out, two-run single from Pacen Hayes to left drive them both home and give the Wolverines a 2-0 cushion. Mick Madsen then immediately followed with a double down the rightfield line to bring Hayes all the way around from first to make it 3-0. 
 
The Pilots then got a run back in the last of the second thanks to a two-out hit from Nich Klemp to make it 3-1, but UVU answered with two more in the top of the third to extend its lead to 5-1. 
 
Utah Valley loaded the bases with two away in the third thanks to free passes by Jeff Arens, Madsen and Trey Newman. The freshman Garrett Broussard then hit a chopper to third that brought home Arens for one run and seeing that UP's Ben Patacil couldn't get the ball out of his glove, Madsen kept running and came around to score from second base for the second run of the play to give the Wolverines a four-run advantage. 
 
The score remained 5-1 until the bottom of the fifth when the Pilots managed to break through with three runs to make it a one-run game at 5-4. With UVU starter Bobby Voortmeyer having allowed just one run on three hits entering the frame, UP got two runners on thanks to a pair of walks and followed with back-to-back extra-base hits from Jake Holcroft and Preseason All-WCC selection Chad Stevens to drive home a trio of runs and make it 5-4. 
 
Still 5-4 in the seventh, Portland then tied it at 5-5 via a leadoff solo homer from Tracye Tammaro. The Pilots then manufactured the go-ahead run in the eighth to take their first lead of the game at 6-5. Following back-to-back walks and a sacrifice bunt, UP then plated the go-ahead run thanks to a sacrifice fly from Holcroft. The Pilots threatened for more as they later loaded the bases with two away, but UVU reliever Cole Yocum managed to draw an inning-ending groundout to keep it a one-run game.
 
In the ninth, UP's Connor Knutson then retired the Wolverines in order however to end the ballgame. 
 
Knutson (1-0) earned the win for the Pilots after throwing a pair of scoreless innings in relief, while UVU reliever Devin Smith (0-2) was tagged with the loss for the Wolverines.
 
Hayes led UVU offensively in the contest by going 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Broussard went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Madsen and Hall also each had strong performances at the plate by both going 1-for-2 with a run scored. Madsen also added a double and an RBI while Hall walked three times. 
 
Holcroft led Portland by driving home three runs in the game while Tammaro went 2-for-4 with a solo homer. 
 
The Wolverines will and Pilots will continue the doubleheader on Friday afternoon at approximately 4:00 p.m. MT/3:00 p.m. PT. The series finale will then follow on Saturday at 2 p.m. MT/1 p.m. PT.