OREM, Utah – Utah Valley baseball fell 9-2 Sunday afternoon to Sacramento State on UCCU Ballpark. UVU (28-24, 13-11) battled early through a pitcher's duel with Jacob Heppner tossing 5 1/3 innings, allowing just two hits. Sacramento State (30-22, 14-7) pulled away with a seven-run seventh inning for the win.
 
Heppner retired the first seven hitters of the game, with four groundouts, two flyouts, and a strikeout, before Myles Walton doubled down the left field line in the third inning for the first hit against the UVU southpaw.
 
The Wolverines threatened to score in the home half of the third with a leadoff single from senior Nate Bach, who took second when Sacramento State right fielder Ryan Christiansen bobbled the ball in right field. DJ Massey later in the inning reached on a throwing error after Bach moved 90 feet on a wild pitch. Hornet starter, Carson Latimer, got a pair of popouts to keep the game scoreless.
 
The scoreless tie was broken by the Hornets in the sixth inning when Michael Perazzo hustled home from third on a wild pitch to put Sacramento State up 1-0 before they took a 2-0 lead on a single from JP Smith. Utah Valley answered right back in the bottom half of the inning after Mason Strong walked and then stole second base; he scored on a double down the right field line by Brody Block to make it 2-1 in favor of the Hornets.
 
Utah Valley loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh against Kade Brown, one of the best WAC and country relievers, and he was removed from the game. Landon Frei hit the ball hard right to third base, and the Hornets turned a double play to keep the Wolverines off the board.  
 
In the ninth, they broke through, scoring one run after loading the bases following a Hornet throwing error. Strong stroked a single to centerfield to make it 9-2. Left-handed reliever Noah Lucessi came in and closed out the game for first-place Sacramento State.
 
Jayden Smith and Dominic Longo II both had two hits for the Wolverines, who recorded ten hits in the game. Garrett Miller pitched one inning without allowing a hit.
 
Frei, Bach, Carston, Herman, Alan Huerta, CJ Colyer, Corbin Kirk, Joey Harmon, and Carter Krosky were honored after the game as part of UVU's Senior Day.    
 
UP NEXT
Utah Valley will close the regular season with a three-game series this week at San Francisco. Due to USF not having lights on the field, the series will feature three afternoon contests. UVU will head to the 2025 University Credit Union WAC Tournament in Mesa. The bracket and game times will be announced following the regular season.