OREM, Utah – Utah Valley baseball won their sixth consecutive game on Friday afternoon, defeating Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 12-3. UVU (10-8) have won eight of the last nine games. Luke Iverson led the way with four hits on the day while scoring three runs. ERAU (6-16) fell behind 8-0 early due to a potent UVU attack.
 
Iverson recorded his first hit on a hard-hit single right to first base, and he later moved to third base on a single from Jayden Smith. The Wolverines broke through with a single from Mason Strong to make it 1-0. They quickly added to their lead with an RBI single by Dominic Longo II to put them up 2-0 with his seventh multi-RBI game of the season.
 
The Wolverines broke the game open in the second inning with a six-run tally that started with a single from DJ Massey with Iverson moving the runner to third on a single and hustling onto second on the throw. Smith plated home the two runs with his fourth triple of the season and put Utah Valley in front 4-0.
 
The inning continued as Landon Frei chopped one to third base, but the throw pulled the first baseman off the bag, and Smith quickly dashed home from third base. Frei added his fourth stolen base of the year and moved into scoring position. Two runners were on the bases for Longo II, who doubled home one to make it 6-0.
 
Utah Valley's final two runs in the second came on a sac fly from Nate Bach and a single from Brody Block.
 
Trailing 8-0, the Eagles got on the board in the third with a one-run of their own against Corbin Kirk, who had a solid outing, earning his first win of the season with five innings, six hits, and struck out two Eagles. He logged his third outing this season of at least five innings, including his last two starts.
 
In the bottom of the third inning, the Wolverines got the run back as Frei lifted a high fly ball that was lost in the sky, allowing Smith to score from first.
 
The bats slowed down with scoring runs, but they still found ways to get on base; in the fifth inning, Iverson singled up the middle and stolen second base, but the two runners would get stranded.
 
Ray Hernandez came in to relieve Kirk after giving up a leadoff single. He benefited from his defense with a slick inning-ending double play turned with Frei, Massey and CJ Colyer. The leadoff hitter reached to start the seventh, but Hernandez retired the next three to hold the Eagles scoreless. The outing concluded in the eighth inning when he struck out the side.
 
The Wolverines loaded the bases in the seventh inning after Massey, Iverson and Smith all reached. Strong singled to left field to bring home one run and made it 10-3. They added two more runs after a walk to Longo II and Bach's second sacrifice fly on the game to make it 12-3.  
 
Mario Bejarano came in for the ninth inning and recorded a strikeout on four batters faced.
 
 
UP NEXT
The Wolverines and Eagles will play the second game of the series on Saturday, Mar. 15, at 2:05 p.m. MT. The series will continue with games on Sunday, Mar. 16, at 2:05 p.m. MT before wrapping up on Monday, Mar. 17.