ST. GEORGE, Utah – Jacob Heppner tossed a complete game shutout to lead Utah Valley to a 15-0 victory on Sunday afternoon at Bruce Hurst Field. The Wolverines (21-7-2) swept the Trailblazers (15-16, 1-5) for the second consecutive year and have won the last seven meetings.
 
The Wolverines offense gave Heppner early run support in the first inning, starting with a single from Mason Strong to score Luke Iverson, who led off the game, being hit for the 44^th time in his UVU career. Utah Valley later loaded the bases following Nate Bach being hit by a pitch. They took a 2-0 lead when Jimmy De Anda was walked.
 
In the third inning, the Wolverines loaded the bases with one out after a single from Strong before Landon doubled to left field on a ball that just missed getting over the fence. After a walk to Bach, De Anda singled through the left side to make it 3-0. The hit chased Orem native Dakota West, and following the pitching change, they continued to add to their lead with a walk to Joseph Barnhardt and then a two-run single by DJ Massey for the first two of his three RBIs in the contest. Leading 6-0, Jayden Smith knocked home a pair of runs to make it 8-0.
 
Heppner struck out the Utah Tech leadoff hitter Kyle McDaniel to quickly settle in with a first pitch flyout before a groundout ended the first. In the second, he stayed in a groove, retiring the Trailblazers on just five pitches.
 
The Wolverines offense scored six runs twice in the game, with the second coming in the fourth inning, and it broke the game wide open. They loaded the bases on three of their ten walks in the contest to start the inning before De Anda drove in his third run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 9-0 before a couple of hitters later, Massey doubled to make it 10-0 UVU.
 
Following a pitching change, Smith singled to make it 11-0 before Dominic Longo II reached on a ball that went off the centerfielder's glove for an error, and it allowed all runners to score to make it 14-0.
 
Heppner continued to roll, getting three Utah Tech hitters under ten pitches in the fifth inning. He did allow a single in the sixth inning, but UVU's defense turned a double play with Ethan Royal at the plate to send it to the seventh.
 
In the seventh, the Wolverines scored a run, starting with a walk to Kevin Parker Jr., before Frei doubled to left field to put runners on second and third. Joe McBride came to pinch-hit and grounded out but recorded an RBI as a run scored.
 
Heppner threw the first complete game shutout for UVU since Logan Gerling's shutout against UT Arlington in the WAC Tournament in 2023.
 
UP NEXT
Utah Valley continues their road trip with a two-game series in Las Vegas against UNLV. The series begins on Monday, Apr. 7 at 6:05 p.m. MT from Earl E. Wilson Stadium. The two will conclude the series on Tuesday, Apr. 8, at 2:05 p.m. MT. Both games can be seen on the UNLV athletics YouTube channel.