OREM, Utah – Utah Valley University defeated Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 6-4, on Saturday at UCCU Ballpark. UVU's (11-8) pitching combination of Colton Kennedy, Carston Herman, and Alan Huerta combined for 17 strikeouts against ERAU (6-17). Jayden Smith and Dominic Longo II continued to swing hot bats, recording two hits each.
 
The Wolverines battled through a three-hour delay after snow before Kennedy fired home the first pitch and struck out the side in the first two innings to set a new career-high in strikeouts. After not delivering a ball until the second inning, he continued in the third inning recording two more strikeouts and getting a hitter to pop up a bunt to end the inning.
 
Utah Valley broke through in the bottom of the third inning when DJ Massey singled to start the inning and with one out he raced home from first base on a double by Smith to put UVU up 1-0. The lead doubled for the Wolverines when Longo II lined his third home run of the week out of the park.
 
Leading 3-0 in the fourth, the Eagles got two runs back to make it 3-2. Herman came in and picked right up after Kennedy's hot start, striking out the first two hitters while on his way to a 1-2-3 inning. In the home half of the inning, Luke Iverson hit his fifth home run of the season over the left field wall to put UVU in front 4-2.
 
The Wolverines continued to add on after Longo II singled and stole second base and came around to score on a single from Nate Bach to give UVU a 5-2 edge. Joseph Barnhardt singled to centerfield to plate Bach, who scored from second after swiping second base. The Eagles once again fought back, scoring a pair of runs to make it 6-4.
 
Embry-Riddle brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh inning against Herman, but the UVU lefty got Garza-Nunez to fly out to end the threat before sending them down in order in the eighth.
 
The Wolverines looked to add some insurance with a two-out rally in the eighth inning. Jimmy De Anda walked, and Kevin Parker, Jr. hit a hard grounder to the hole at short and reached. They were not able to get a runner home.
 
Alan Huerta came in the ninth inning and retired the Eagles in order, securing his first save of the season.
 
UP NEXT
The Wolverines and Eagles will play game three of the series on Sunday, Mar. 16, at 2:05 p.m. MT. The series concludes on Monday, Mar. 17 at 12:05 p.m. MT.