OREM, Utah — Utah Valley fell 15-9 on Tuesday afternoon to the University of Utah. The Utes (16-10) scored six runs in the ninth inning to secure the victory over their in-state rivals. UVU (12-15) had four players record multi-hit games, with Chipper Beck, Hunter Katschke, and Jayden Smith hitting home runs for the Wolverines.
 
Utah Valley jumped on the board in the top of the first inning after a single from Mason Strong put a two-out baserunner on for Beck, who hit his second home run of the season to dead center, giving the Wolverines a 2-0 lead. It was Beck's sixth career home run combined between BYU and UVU.
 
Utah's offense responded with a run in the second before Jake Long's home run in the top of the third inning gave the Utes their first lead at 3-2. The Wolverines threatened in both the third and fourth innings, putting runners in scoring position. In the fourth, Beck led off with a ground-rule double to left-center and advanced to third on a wild pitch but was thrown out at the plate trying to score.
 
Cooper Brass started the fifth inning against CBU transfer Ryan Kittredge with a single past the diving shortstop into center field and moved to second when DJ Massey was hit by a pitch. The Wolverines were aggressive at the plate against their former conference mate, and Katschke put UVU back in front 5-4 with his 10th home run of the season. He is now third in the WAC to reach double-digit home runs and extended his hitting streak to 14 games.
 
Utah Valley wasn't done in the fifth and chased Kittredge after a single by Kaden Carpenter. Strong doubled off new reliever Kaden Soder to score Carpenter, who had moved into scoring position by stealing second.
 
In his fifth career appearance against Utah, Colton Kennedy finished with five innings pitched and four strikeouts. Utah scored four runs in the sixth inning to jump back in front 8-6. Cooper Littledike entered the game and retired the final hitter of the sixth before throwing a scoreless seventh.
 
The Wolverines hit two home runs in the eighth inning to tie the game. First, a solo shot from Derek Houston cut the deficit to 9-7. Will Applegate kept the offense going with his first career Division I triple, lining a ball off the wall in right-center as a pinch hitter for Brass. Smith then tied the game at 9 with his first home run of the season to right center. 
 
The Wolverines and Utes are set to play two more times this season, with both meetings taking place at Utah's new ballpark, Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark. The first meeting in Salt Lake City is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21, before the Wolverines return May 5.
 
UP NEXT
Utah Valley will travel for a three-game series at Cal State Bakersfield. The series begins Thursday, April 2, with a 7:30 p.m. MT first pitch on ESPN+. The teams will play Friday at 7:30 p.m. MT and conclude the set Saturday at 2 p.m. MT.