MESA, Ariz. - Utah Valley baseball won their opening game of the University Credit Union WAC Baseball Tournament on Wednesday morning at Hohokam Stadium 16-6 over Seattle U. UVU (32-22) came from behind after trailing 2-0 early.
Cole Jordan finished 4-for-4 with four RBIs in the win.
Burke Camper added four RBIs, including a bases-clearing double to put the game away.
"That was a solid start to the tournament. The team weathered some storms early and was able to play good baseball until the very end," said UVU head coach
Eddie Smith.
The Wolverines took their first lead in the fourth inning when they had their first of four four-run innings.
Garrett Broussard singled before
Matthew Schwarz bunted to put two runners on base with no one out.
Brandon Luna doubled to right center to tie the game up at 2-2.
Daniel Dickinson gave UVU their first lead at 3-2 with his own double to right center. Utah Valley continued to apply pressure and chase Seattle U starter Peter Chronowski. Jordan singled to plate Dickinson and gave UVU a 4-2 lead.
Following a three-run inning from the Redhawks to retake a 5-4 lead, UVU responded with a four-run inning.
Calyn Halvorson and Broussard started it off with singles to put a pair of runners on base. Seattle U catcher Josh Lind tried to catch Halvorson sleeping at second, but the throw went into center field, allowing both runners to advance. A clutch two-hit single from
Nate Bach gave UVU a 6-5 lead. Jordan hit a pop-up into shallow right field that fell in front of Hudson Shupe, allowing both Bach and Dickinson to score, extending the UVU lead to 8-5.
The Redhawks scored one against
Ethan Fowlks (5-2) in the seventh to make it 8-6. Fowlks picked up the win for his fifth of the year. He tossed 8.0 innings on six runs, with four strikeouts.
The Wolverines added four more runs in the seventh inning. Schwarz walked before Luna doubled to put two runners in scoring position. UVU loaded the bases after Dickinson was intentionally walked. Jordan delivered again with a walk to score one run and put UVU in front 9-6. Camper then provided the knockout punch with a double off the left field wall that cleared the bases to give UVU a comfortable 12-6 lead.
Utah Valley loaded the bases again in the eighth after Luna was hit by a pitch, Bach walked, and Dickinson singled. Jordan singled to score one run, and a pitch hit
Luke Iverson to keep the line moving. UVU led 14-6 when Camper walked to add another run before Halvorson singled to walk it off for a 16-6 victory.
Bach finished 1-for-2 with three RBIs and two runs scored, and Luna was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored for UVU. A total of six Wolverines recorded multi-hit games.
Utah Valley advances to play on Thursday, May 25, at 5:00 p.m. MT against the winner of the Abilene Christian vs. Sam Houston game today.
