MESA, Ariz. – Utah Valley split a Friday doubleheader against UC Riverside, winning the opening game by a 5-4 final and dropping the second game of the twin bill by an 8-1 final. The game was supposed to take place in Riverside but was moved due to the rain forecasted in the Riverside area.
GAME ONE
Utah Valley scored first in the second inning on a groundout by
Garrett Broussard that preceded a triple to right center by
Matthew Schwarz. The Highlanders responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 2-1 advantage.
Trey Cutchen and
Calyn Halvorson reached base on a double and single before Halvorson moved to second on a wild pitch to put two runners in scoring position.
Patrick Mills gave the Wolverines the lead with a three-run bomb to right center field and put UVU up 4-2.
UVU added to their two-run lead with a run in the fourth. Schwarz had his second hit of the game with a lead-off single before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Broussard walked to put two runners on for Utah Valley. Schwarz scored on a ground ball fielder's choice aided by a UCR throwing error, putting UVU up 5-2.
UCR added a run of their own in the bottom half of the fourth to make it 5-3 and would later add one in the sixth.
Logan Gerling went 5.0 innings for UVU and struck out six for UVU to pick up his second win of the season.
Ethan Fowlks went 4.0 innings in relief and retired six out of the final seven hitters faced, only allowing a walk in the ninth before the game ending 6-4-3 double play to earn his second save.
GAME TWO
Cutchen and Halvorson both reached on singles in the first before Eric Marrujo retired the next six hitters to hold the Wolverines scoreless. Luke McCullough followed suit, retiring the first six hitters he faced on the afternoon.
The UCR bats came alive, in the third inning as they scored six runs to take a 6-0 lead. The Highlanders added two runs in the sixth to go up 8-0. Utah Valley looked to have a late rally in the seventh as
Brandon Luna and
Cole Jordan walked to put two runners on with one out before Wolverines were retired with the final two outs.
Chase Hennessey came in the bottom of the seventh inning and went 2.0 innings strong, allowing only two hitters to reach base.
Utah Valley broke through in the eighth inning after
Nate Bach singled to start the inning, and Schwarz hit a sinking liner that fell out of the glove of the right fielder and advanced after the relay throw overshot the UCR infield allowing Schwarz to score from third.
Despite a ninth-inning lead-off single from
Burke Camper, UVU was held scoreless in the ninth and suffered an 8-1 loss.
Utah Valley returns to action with a doubleheader at UC Riverside at the Riverside Sports Complex. No broadcast is planned, but live stats will be available via UC Riverside. The scheduled first pitch is Noon MT. The home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 4:05 p.m. MT against BYU. Tickets are still available.
