Box Score MESA, Ariz. – CJ Colyer lifted Utah Valley to a 3-1 win over Abilene Christian with a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning. UVU (30-28) was led by Corbin Kirk, who tossed a complete game with 13 strikeouts. He became the first Wolverine hurler to record ten or more strikeouts since Casey Anderson struck out ten Hornets in 2023.
 
The two starting pitchers stole the show. Abilene Christian's Dominic Reid pitched seven innings with three hits and 12 strikeouts for the Wildcats, and ACU held the lead for 26 outs.
 
ACU broke through in the third inning after singles from Braden Regala and Zandt Payne to put two runners on base. Kirk worked a ground ball that was hit directly to Landon Frei, who turned two. The Wildcats took a lead on a single from Daniel Cardenas on a ball that fell just in front of Jimmy De Anda.
 
The Wolverines threatened against Abilene Christian's Dominick Reid in the fourth inning as Jayden Smith hustled out a single to third base, and later in the inning, he moved to second on a single through the middle by Mason Strong. Reid came up with a pair of strikeouts to end the threat.
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In the fifth, Utah Valley again got a pair of runners on base with two outs, as De Anda worked a walk. Then Luke Iverson was hit by a pitch, but following a mound visit from ACU head coach Rick McCarty, a ground ball ended the inning.
 
In the seventh inning, Nate Bach hit a double to right center field that hopped off the wall to put him in scoring position, but Reid answered and held the Wolverines off the board. ACU responded in the home half with a leadoff double from Reese Borho, who advanced to third base on a flyout, before Nick Arias sent a fly ball to Iverson, who fired home. When the ball skipped past Strong, Kirk quickly recovered and tossed home to get the runner and keep the game at 1-0.
 
In the ninth inning, Strong recorded his second hit of the game with a chopper into left field. Bach was retired on a flyball, taking the left fielder to the left wall. Brody Block singled down the first base line to put runners on the corners and set the stage for Coyler.
 
Kirk came back out for the ninth inning and recorded two strikeouts before getting Borho to ground out to first softly. He finished the game going 135 total pitches and 81 going for strikes.
 
UP NEXT
The Wolverines advance to the winner's bracket semifinals on Friday, May 23 at 11:00 a.m. MST / Noon local time. A win will put the Wolverines into the WAC Championship. A loss and they would play later in the day in an elimination game.