MORAGA, Calif. – Senior right-hander Jesse Schmit pitched 5.0 scoreless innings and senior reliever Spenser Triplett came on to record the save as Utah Valley University held on to defeat Saint Mary's 2-1 in the season opener on Friday afternoon at Louis Guisto Field in Northern California.
 
The Preseason All-WAC selection Schmit picked up right where he left off last year for the Wolverines (1-0) by surrendering just three hits and no runs in 5.0 shutout innings of work to earn the victory. Boise State transfer Dawson Day then followed with an inning and two-thirds of solid relief and Triplett came on to toss the final 2.1 innings of scoreless relief to earn the save. 

Scoreless in the third, the Wolverines were the first to get on the board thanks to an RBI single to right from Mitch Moralez. Connor Hall led off the frame for UVU with a leadoff walk and Garrett Broussard followed with a hit-and-run single to right to advance Hall to third with nobody out in the inning. Moralez then followed with the RBI knock to right to drive home Hall, but SMC starter Carlos Lomeli answered with a strikeout and a double-play ball to end the threat and keep it a 1-0 game.
 
The Wolverines looked to push across another run in the fifth, as Hall drew a walk and stole second to get into scoring position with two away. Moralez then singled again, for his second hit of the game, but Hall was cut down at the plate trying to score to end the threat and keep it a 1-0 score.
 
In the top of the sixth, UVU rallied as Alexander Marco walked and Kase Ogata was hit by a pitch to put two on with nobody out. Following a fielder's choice from Kade Poulsen and a walk by Drew Sims, the Wolverines managed to load the bases with one out in the frame. Ogata then later scored the second run of the game on a wild pitch and the trail runners advanced to second and third. But the SMC bullpen responded with back-to-back strikeouts to keep it a 2-0 game. 
 
The Gaels (0-1) managed to drive in their lone run of the game in the last of the seventh on an infield single from Chris Santiago followed by a defensive miscue by the Wolverines to make the run unearned. SMC got two runners on with two outs and Santiago followed by putting the ball in play and UVU committed an infield error to allow Ryan Novis to come home and make it a one-run game.  
 
With UVU still holding to the 2-1 lead in the ninth, the Gaels got a one-out single from Nick Mistone and he later advanced to second on an error. On a ball driven down the rightfield line off the bat of Novis, Marco made an outstanding diving catch in foul territory for the second out of the frame. With Mistone now on third base following the deep flyout, Triplett managed to draw a game-ending groundout to short off the bat of cleanup hitter Justin Banks to seal the victory for the Wolverines thanks to a nice pick at first from Poulsen on the final play of the game. 
 
Moralez led UVU offensively by going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk, while Broussard, Marco and Poulsen all added a hit apiece.  
 
Schmit, who struck out a game-high four batters, improved to 1-0 on the year, while SMC's Lomeli (0-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing two runs on four hits in 5.1 innings.
 
The ballgame marked Utah Valley's first opening-day victory since 2018 when it defeated Pac-12 foe USC, 5-1, in Los Angeles. 
 
The contest also marked UVU's first official game in over 11 months, as Utah Valley's last game came on March 11 of last year due to COVID-19 wiping out most of the 2020 season. 
 
The Wolverines and Gaels will continue the four-game opening-weekend series with a Saturday doubleheader beginning 11 a.m. MT/10 a.m. PT at Louis Guisto Field. The series will then conclude on Sunday and all three remaining games will be streamed live on the WCC Network.