OREM, Utah – Utah Valley University defeated Northwest Nazarene, 22-7 on Tuesday afternoon at UCCU Ballpark. UVU (17-17) slugged a program-record seven homers in the contest over the NNU (23-10-1). Matthew Schwarz finished 3-for-5 with two triples and a grand slam to set a new school record with seven RBIs.
 
"There were a lot of great things today, but most importantly, we played as a team from the first pitch to the last. When guys are willing to put the team first it is amazing what we can accomplish together and how their individual accolades are reached more often when selfless," said UVU head coach Eddie Smith.
 
The Wolverines scored a run in the first inning after Daniel Dickinson was walked and advanced to third on a throwing error that moved him to third base. Calyn Halvorson lifted a fly ball to the outfield to score the runner, making it 1-0.
 
After the Nighthawks scored a run to tie the game in the second, Utah Valley responded after a single from Jayden Smith and Joe McBride was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base for Luke Iverson, who singled home a run to make it 2-1. The real damage was added by Schwarz's first triple that cleared the bases to make it 4-1, and then Dickinson doubled to bring home one to put UVU in front 5-1.
 
They added more in the bottom of the fourth inning after Iverson walked to start the inning, and Schwarz knocked him home with a second triple. He came home on the next hitter, as Dickinson hit a sacrifice fly to left field to make it 7-2 Wolverines. UVU kept the pressure on after a walk to Halvorson, and Cole Jordan homered to left field for his first of two in the game.
 
As the fourth inning continued, UVU held a 9-2 lead. Nate Bach quickly homered to left field for UVU to go back-to-back and take a commanding 10-2 lead. Northwest Nazarene crept back into the game and put five runs across in the top of the fifth inning to quickly cut the UVU lead to 10-7.
 
After the rally, UVU jumped right back on the Nighthawks and scored on a two-run home run from Dickinson for his 21^st career home run and put the Wolverines up 12-7.
 
The UVU pitching staff came up with two consecutive three-up and three-down innings from Nick Sims in the sixth and the combination of Luke Kimmel and Colton Kennedy in the seventh. The offense in the bottom of the seventh quickly kept the momentum up, starting with Dickinson's 22nd career long ball, which put him in sixth place all-time in UVU history.
 
Burke Camper reached on an error before Halvorson homered to left field for his sixth big fly of the season, making 15-7, Utah Valley. Jordan worked a 3-2 walk as UVU loaded the bases after a single from Smith and a pitch hit McBride. They scored a run on a pitch that hit Iverson to make it 16-7 before Schwarz hit a grand slam for his first-round tripper of the season.
 
Robby Butenschoen retired two hitters in the eighth inning, both via the strikeout, before Jayse Burkett added a strikeout to end the inning. Cougar Cooke hit a leadoff double to start the inning before Jordan hit UVU's seventh homer of the day and his 21^st career blast. He is currently tied for seventh with Austin Heaps (2012) and Trent Perry (2005).  Jacob Beltran pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for the Wolverines.
 
Gray Bailey earned the win after going one inning and recording a strikeout. Chase Hennessey, Reece Rodabaugh, and Aaron Rice also threw innings today for the Wolverines.
 
The Wolverines travel this weekend for a three-game WAC series against UT Rio Grande Valley. The series starts on Friday, Apr. 12 at 5:30 p.m. MT from UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg, Texas. The series continues with games on Saturday, Apr. 13 at 5:30 p.m. MT and Sunday, Apr. 14 at 11:00 a.m. MT.