OREM, Utah – Kyle Coburn homered for Utah Valley late as the Wolverines scored three in the eighth, but Sacramento State's Jack Zalasky came on to record the save en route to helping the Hornets hold on for a 7-5 victory in the series opener on Friday night at UCCU Ballpark.
The Wolverines fall to 8-18 overall and 2-8 in WAC play with the setback, while Sac State improves to 12-13 and 4-6 in league play with the win. The two teams will continue the series from dōTERRA Field at UCCU Ballpark on Saturday afternoon.
"It was outstanding to see that life from our team in the eighth inning. It would be easy when you are down like that to kind of roll over when you are trailing against a team like that. But we didn't, and we battled, and we brought the tying run to the plate," head UVU coach
Eddie Smith said. "We've got to take care of the ball just a little better tomorrow. Just throw a few more strikes, play a little better defense, and square up a few more barrels and we should be OK."
With the Hornets up 1-0 in the first following a leadoff home run from Nick Iwasa, UVU struck back with a run of its own in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at 1-1.
Trey Cutchen started the spurt with a one-out triple and
Mick Madsen drove him in with a two-out single to center to deadlock the score.
The Wolverines then added a run in the second to take a 2-1 lead. After a one-out walk from
Kayler Yates followed by a single from
Copper Hansen,
Brody Ponti delivered an RBI single through the left side to plate Yates. With two on and just one out and UVU threatening for more,
Mitch Moralez then hit a ball hard up the middle, but Sac State pitcher Eli Saul made a stellar behind the back stop en route to turning an inning-ending double play.
Sac State then took advantage of a UVU defensive miscue in the third on its way to scoring a trio of runs to take a 4-2 lead. The Hornets then loaded the bases in the fourth and added two more runs on back-to-back wild pitches to extend their advantage to 6-2. Sac State later extended its lead to 7-2 with an eighth-inning RBI single from Steven Moretto.
After stranding a few baserunners in the middle innings, the Wolverine offense then got things going again in the bottom of the eighth with a trio of runs to make it a 7-5 game. Madsen started the frame with a one-out single and
Paul Vossen followed by banging a double off the top of the wall in right to put runners on second and third.
Cole Jordan then drove in Madsen with a sac fly to left, and Coburn followed with the big hit of the frame with a two-run shot to left to make it a two-run contest. The Wolverines later brought the tying run to the plate in the inning, but Sac State's Zalasky came on to get an inning-ending groundout.
The Hornets then looked for some insurance in the ninth by loading the bases, but UVU reliever
Devin Smith managed to pitch of the jam by drawing an inning-ending groundout off the bat of Moretto to leave the bases full. Smith was great in relief on the night for Utah Valley, as he gave up just one run on six hits while striking out three over 5.2 solid innings of work.
The Wolverine offense then looked to get something going in the last of the ninth, but Sac State's Zalasky went on to record his second save by retiring the side in order.
UVU starter
Coop Rust was tagged with the loss to drop to 1-4 on the year, while Sac State starter Saul allowed just two runs while striking out six over 6.0 innings to improve to 3-0 on the season.
Vossen, Madsen, and Cutchen all tallied two hits apiece for UVU on the night, while Cesar Valero, Jorge Bojorquez and Moretto each posted multiple-hit outings for the Hornets.
The Wolverines and Hornets will continue the series on Saturday with a 2:05 p.m. first pitch. The three-game weekend series will then conclude on Sunday at 12:05 p.m. The two teams will again meet up for three more games, May 13-15, in Sacramento.
