SAN FRANCISCO – Connor Hall belted out his first collegiate home run for Utah Valley in the series opener at San Francisco on Friday afternoon, but it wasn't enough as USF pulled out the contest by a score of 7-1.
 
UVU falls to 1-4 on the young season with the setback, while the Dons improve to 3-2 with the victory. The contest marked the first of a four-game non-conference series between the two teams on the weekend at USF's Benedetti Diamond.
 
The Wolverines had an early chance to score by getting a pair of runners into scoring position in the first thanks to an error and a one-out single from Paul Vossen. But USF's Owen Stevenson managed to pitch out of the jam and keep UVU off the scoreboard in the early stages. 
 
Scoreless in the third, San Francisco was the first to breakthrough with two runs to take a 2-0 advantage. Following back-to-back hits from Gabe Goisso and Nick Yovetich, Michael Campagna and Darius Foster both drove in runs via consecutive RBI groundouts. The Dons then tacked on two more runs in the fourth to extend their lead to 4-0. The first run came home in the frame when UVU elected to cut down the runner attempting to steal second on a double steal, which allowed Luke Keaschall to come in and score from third. USF later added a run on an RBI double from Giosso.
 
With two outs and nobody aboard in the fifth, the sophomore outfielder Hall got the Wolverine offense going with a solo bomb to straightaway centerfield to make it a 4-1 game. The home run marked Hall's first collegiate round-tripper and it came in his first start of the 2022 campaign.
 
Following a walk in the bottom of the fifth, Vujovich made the Wolverines pay with a two-run home run to right center to extend USF's lead to 6-1. The Dons then added an insurance run in the eighth to put the game out of reach.
 
UVU starter Devin Smith (0-1) was tagged with the loss after giving up six runs over 5.0 innings of work, while USF's Stevenson picked up the win as he surrendered just one run on three hits over 6.0 innings to move to 1-0 on the year. The UVU bullpen did a nice job in the late innings, as Josh Brown pitched a scoreless sixth frame and Hunter Tueller allowed just one run on two hits over the final two innings in his first collegiate appearance.
 
Hall led UVU offensively on the day by a perfect going 1-for-1 with a home run, a walk and was also hit by a pitch. Vossen, Trey Cutchen and Kayler Yates also recorded hits on the day for Utah Valley. Vujovich led the Dons by going 2-for-4 with a double, a homer, two RBIs and a run scored. Giosso and Yovetich also recorded two hits apiece for USF. 
 
The Wolverines and Dons will continue the series with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 11:30 a.m. MT/10:30 a.m. PT. The weekend finale will then come on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. MT/12:30 p.m. PT. The games will all be streamed on the WCC Network (WCCSports.com/Watch).