NAMPA, Idaho – Utah Valley defeated Northwest Nazarene 4-3 on Monday afternoon at Elmore W. Vail Field in Nampa, Idaho. UVU (8-5) used a three RBI game from Garrett Broussard to get past Northwest Nazarene (8-13). Freshman Colton Kennedy set the tone on the mound going 3.0 innings and not allowing a hit.
 
"That was a solid win for us against a very good Northwest Nazarene team. We played through snow and hail but never wavered in our focus on execution. That was a total team effort," said UVU head coach Eddie Smith.
 
UVU starter Kennedy went 3.0 innings in his first college start and kept the Nighthawks' bats at bay. After allowing a pair of walks in the first, he induced an inning-ending double-play to end the NUU threat.
 
Utah Valley scored first in the second inning after back-to-back lead off walks put Trey Cutchen and Matthew Schwarz on base. They both moved up 90 feet after a wild pitch and quickly gained another 90 feet on a passed ball to make it 1-0 UVU. Broussard had one of three RBIs in the contest with a groundout, and Schwarz scored on all three RBIs.
 
The Nighthawks tied the game in the fourth inning on a leadoff home run from Shane Jamison and an RBI single from Rumble Reyes. In the fifth, Utah Valley looked poised to regain the lead after a triple from Luke Iverson put the leadoff hitter in scoring position, but the NNU pitching staff held UVU scoreless.
 
Utah Valley broke through and took a 3-2 lead after Schwarz walked to start the inning and moved to second on a groundout. Broussard drove the run home on a groundout. UVU had runners on first and second after a pitch hit Nathan Bach, but the inning ended on a Weston Peninger fielder's choice. The Nighthawks did not waste time coming back to tie the game at 3-3 with a double to left center by Kyle Payne.
 
Patrick Mills extended his hitting streak to ten games with a base hit in the eighth to put runners on first and second before Calyn Halvorson hit into a double play to retire the side. Drew Woody escaped a pair of two-out hits to hold the Nighthawks off the scoreboard and allow UVU a chance to take the lead in the ninth.
 
The Wolverines capitalized on the chance in the ninth. Schwarz started the inning with an infield single and stole second base before moving to third on a passed ball. Broussard hit a chopper out of the reach of the second baseman to allow him to score and put UVU in front 4-3.
 
NUU looked to even the score in the ninth with a single to right center and a bunt single to put runners on first and second. UVU turned a heads-up double play on a liner that Schwarz quickly flipped to Dickinson at second as UVU held on for the one-run victory.
Drew Woody (1-0) picked up his first win at UVU by going 1.1 innings allowing two hits but no runs. Josh Brown earned his first save of the year, pitching a scoreless ninth inning. Chase Hennessey added a strong outing, throwing 2.2 hitless innings in the victory.
 
Utah Valley will return home for a five-game home stand beginning with four against Lehigh starting on Friday, Mar. 10 at 4:05 p.m. MT. Northwest Nazarene will close the five-game stretch on Monday, Mar. 13, at 4:05 p.m. MT.