PHOENIX – Utah Valley baseball dropped the opening game of a two-game series to Arizona State University, 5-4 on Tuesday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Utah Valley (7-13) outhit the Sun Devils (10-10) 7-4, but ASU's Brandon Compton's two-run homer was the difference in the game.

"We were a few pitches away from a win against a very good Arizona State team. Tomorrow is a great opportunity to go out again and find a way to win. We are very close," said UVU head coach Eddie Smith. 
 
The Wolverines got off to a fast start with two extra-base hits from the first two hitters of the game when Daniel Dickinson doubled to left center field and Burke Camper hit his sixth homer of the season to put Utah Valley up 2-0.
 
Utah Valley threatened again in the second inning after a leadoff double from Nate Bach immediately put a runner in scoring position. After a flyout from Matthew Schwarz, he would be 90 feet from scoring. ASU starter Tyler Meyer got the two hitters out and kept UVU scoreless in the inning.
 
Arizona native Jayse Burkett made his first start for UVU this year and was sharp through the first two innings. He did not allow a base runner until the third, when Jax Ryan was hit by a pitch. Ryan advanced to second after a pickoff attempt went wide of Calyn Halvorson. The Sun Devils got the lead to 2-1 on a double by Harris Williams. UVU forced a groundout and flyout to retire the side.
 
Utah Valley found a way to back Burkett offensively in the fourth inning when Bach led off with a walk to start the inning. Jayden Smith singled with one out to put a pair of runners on base, and a double steal moved both runners into scoring position. Dickinson doubled for the second time in the game to bring home two and put UVU in front 4-1.
 
Burkett's day ended after ASU put a pair of runners on base to start the fourth. He pitched 3.0 innings, allowing one hit and three strikeouts. The Sun Devils rallied and scored two runs against Robby Butenschoen to narrow the UVU lead to 4-3. They took their first and only lead of the game in the fifth inning when Compton went deep to go up 5-4.
 
In the seventh inning, Camper doubled down the right field line and hustled into second base with a leadoff double against ASU reliever Hunter Omlid. The next three hitters were retired to keep the tying run from scoring.
 
The Wolverines had one final chance in the ninth after Cole Jordan walked to start the ninth inning, and Dickinson nearly beat out a sacrifice bunt. A pair of strikeouts stranded Jordan on the base paths and prevented the game-tying run from scoring.
 
Omlid (2-2) picked up the win after going 5.1 innings, allowing two hits, and adding 11 strikeouts in the 19 hitters he faced. Reece Rodabaugh (0-1) was tagged with the loss after throwing 2.1 innings.
 
Dickinson and Camper each finished with two hits and had four of the combined five UVU extra-base hits.
 
The Wolverines and Sun Devils will wrap up the series on Mar. 20 at 2:00 p.m. MT. The game will air on ASU Live Stream with live stats on UVUstats.com. Utah Valley will return home this weekend to host the Bushnell Beacons, an NAIA team from Eugene, Ore.