2007 Game Recaps

SUU FALLS IN RAIN-SHORTENED SEASON FINALE

Game Four - Valparaiso 7 - SUU 1

VALPARAISO, Ind. – May 20 – Southern Utah scored the final run before the season finale was called due to rain, falling to the Valparaiso Crusaders 7-1 on Sunday morning.  The loss brings the 2007 season to an end with the Thunderbirds finishing the year 11-45, including 6-14 in Mid-Con play.

Valpo began the game with a run in the first and then six more runs in the second to build a 7-0 advantage out of the starting gate.

The 7-0 lead remained through the fourth inning until the Thunderbirds parlayed two hits and an error into the lone run of the game in the top of the fifth.

The game was then called in the middle of the fifth due to rain, giving the Crusaders the series sweep with the 7-1 decision.

LOSSES ELIMINATE T-BIRDS FROM MID-CON TOURNAMENT

Game Three - Valparaiso 4 - SUU 2
Game Two - Valparaiso 3 - SUU 2 (10 innings)

VALPARAISO, Ind. – May 19 – Southern Utah baseball suffered a two-game sweep in a Saturday afternoon doubleheader, eliminating the Thunderbirds from the Mid-Continent  Conference baseball tournament.  SUU didn’t go down without a fight, falling in ten innings in game one and then surrendering a 2-0 lead in game two.

Southern Utah struck first in the opening game of the afternoon as Cameron Nelson singled to centerfield to drive Jerahmie Libke home from second base in the top of the third inning.

The Crusaders quickly tied the game with a run of their own in the home half of the third and then took the 2-1 lead with another run in the bottom of the fourth.

The Thunderbirds tied the game for the second time with a run in the top of the sixth as Bucky Aona hit a one-out single to centerfield to advance Keli’i Zablan across the plate from second base.

The teams remained tied until a balk in the bottom of the tenth inning walked in the winning run with the bases loaded for the Crusaders.

In game two, Southern Utah jumped out to an early lead with a two-run home run by Cameron Nelson in the top of the first inning.  The base-clearing knock was the eighth home run of the year for the senior captain.

The lead didn’t last long as Valparaiso put three runs on the board as the home team took to the batter’s box in the bottom of the first.  The Crusaders added another run in the bottom of the sixth for the eventual 4-2 victory.

The losses, coupled with two wins by the Gents of Centenary during the weekend, eliminated the Thunderbirds from postseason play for a second consecutive year.

The teams will meet for the final time as Mid-Con foes tomorrow in an early 9:30 a.m. (CDT) start.  The game will mark the final regular season game for both teams as members of the Mid-Continent Conference as Valparaiso is set to join the Horizon League in 2007-08 and the Thunderbirds begin competition in the newly named Summit League.

THUNDERBIRDS DROP GAME ONE AFTER LATE FLOURISH BY VALPO

Game One - Valparaiso 8 - SUU 3

VALPARAISO, Ind. – May 18 – Southern Utah took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but two three-run innings by the Valparaiso Crusaders in the seventh and eighth lead to an 8-3 defeat for the Thunderbirds in game one between the two teams on Friday afternoon.

The loss tightens an already close race in the Mid-Con as SUU, Valpo and Centenary entered the weekend with identical records and needing to secure wins to earn a birth into the Mid-Con tournament.

The Crusaders got on the board first with a run in the home half of the first inning and then relinquished the lead on a two-run inning by the Thunderbirds in the top of the third.

Robbie Richards was the first batter to reach safely in the inning with a one-out double and then advanced to third on a wild pitch.  Richards scored on the following batter after throwing error for the first run in the inning.

Colby Ford also benefited from the error as his fielder’s choice was stretched into a double.  Ford didn’t have to wait long as Keli’i Zablan hit a double to left field on the next at bat to drive home the second run of the inning.

Valparaiso quickly tied the contest with a run of its own in the bottom of the third and the game remained deadlocked until Zablan collected his second RBI of the game with a two-out triple in the top of the seventh for the 3-2 advantage.

However, the lead would be short lived as the home team mustered three runs in the bottom of the seventh and eighth for the eventual 8-3 decision.

The two teams will take to the field again tomorrow in a doubleheader beginning at Noon.

WALK-OFF GRAND SLAM SNATCHES VICTORY FROM T-BIRDS

Game One - UNLV 9 - SUU 5

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – May 15 – Southern Utah baseball built a lead of 5-1 after four innings, but a four-run inning for UNLV and a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth sealed the victory for the Rebels over the visiting Thunderbirds on Tuesday night.

The Thunderbirds began the game with four unanswered runs before the Rebels scored their first run in the bottom of the second.  However, Southern Utah matched the run in the top of the third with a run of its own.

Keli’i Zablan led off the game with a single and was driven home on the next batter as Cameron Nelson ripped an RBI double to centerfield.

Southern Utah recorded its three runs in the second on three singles and an error by UNLV.  Jeramhie Libke and Zablan each recorded an RBI as the Thunderbirds built a quick 4-0 advantage.

The ‘Bird’s run in the third inning came as UNLV pitcher Stephen Singer struggled to find his location and allowed a run on two wild pitches.

However, the Rebels rebounded from the early 5-1 deficit with a four-run fifth inning to tie the game and then a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth sealed the stolen victory from the Thunderbirds.

Southern Utah will wrap up the regular season when the Thunderbirds travel to Valparaiso, Indiana and a meeting with the Crusaders this weekend.  Both teams are deadlocked in the conference with identical records of 6-10 and a series win will mean a birth in the Mid-Con Tournament the following weekend.

THUNDERBIRDS DROP 12-1 DECISION IN PROVO

Game One - Brigham Young 12 - SUU 1

PROVO, Utah – May 8 – Southern Utah was able to muster only one run as the Thunderbirds found themselves down 7-0 early in the contest against Brigham Young University and ended the game on the losing end of a 12-1 decision.  SUU freshman Kyle Melling recorded the loss in his first intercollegiate start, while BYU ace Jesse Craig earned his ninth win of the season.

BYU began the game with four runs in the first, a run in the second and two runs in the bottom of the fourth before the Thunderbirds answered with a run in the top of the fifth.

Robert Sandstrom hit a lead-off single to begin the inning and then crossed the plate on a two-out single by Keli’i Zablan for the lone run of the game.

The Cougars added two more runs in the sixth and three more runs in the seventh for the final 12-1 decision.

Southern Utah will now have a welcome week off before traveling to UNLV on Tuesday, May 15 and then to Valparaiso, Indiana for the conference finale with the Crusaders May 18-20.

SUU HOLDS ON FOR 3-2 WIN IN SERIES FINALE

Game Four - SUU 3 - Centenary 2

SHREVEPORT, La. – May 6 – Southern Utah avoided a sweep by holding onto a 3-0 lead after seven innings to post the eventual 3-2 win over the Gents of Centenary on Sunday afternoon.  The win proved to be crucial for the Thunderbirds as the team remains in fifth-place in the conference with only the top four teams advancing to the conference tournament.

SUU got on the board first with a run in the second inning when Bucky Aona hit a lead-off home run, giving the ‘Birds a 1-0 advantage.

Southern Utah added another two runs in the top of the seventh on a Tyler Nielsen RBI double and a sacrifice fly by Robbie Richards.

Centenary made a late push with runs in the bottom of the eighth and ninth inning, but Thunderbird pitchers’ Alec Reichle and Jacob Noyes fended off the attack to record the win and save, respectively.

Reichle allowed only one run on six hits with three strikeouts, but it was the single strikeout recorded by Jacob Noyes that sealed the Southern Utah win in the bottom of the ninth.

The Thunderbirds will have a single game with Brigham Young University on Tuesday this week as the team prepares for the final two weeks of the season.

THUNDERBIRDS SWEPT BY GENTS IN SATURDAY DOUBLEHEADER

Game Three - Centenary 4 - SUU 2
Game Two - Centenary 7 - SUU 6 (10 Innings)

SHREVEPORT, La. – May 5 – Southern Utah had a 6-2 advantage in the top of the seventh, but relinquished the lead in game one falling in ten innings by a final score of 7-6.  In game two, the Thunderbirds fought back to tie the game 2-2 in the top of the fourth, but once again found themselves on the losing end of the box score in a 4-2 final.

The losses propel the Gents above SUU in the Mid-Con standings as Centenary improves to 6-5 in conference play, while the Thunderbirds drop to 5-10.

In game one, things appeared to be going Southern Utah’s way as the ‘Birds built a 6-2 advantage with a huge five-run sixth inning.  

The Thunderbirds began the scoring binge on a Joe Wright single with the bases loaded, scoring one.  Jacob Romney followed Wright with a bases-clearing double that turned into a triple for the junior.  Robert Sandstrom collected the final RBI of the inning as his sacrifice fly scored Romney from third.

Southern Utah appeared to have things under control, but a four-run, five-hit seventh inning for Centenary tied the game and forced the game to extra frames.

The home team stole the win in the bottom of the tenth with a sacrifice fly to center field for the narrow 7-6 win.

In game two, Centenary got out to a quick lead with a 2-0 advantage after the first inning.  However, Southern Utah found its offensive production with a run in the third and fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2 with an RBI double and single.

The deadlock proved to be short lived as the Gents added another run in the bottom of the fourth and sixth to seal the 4-2 win.

The Thunderbirds will be looking to avoid a sweep when the teams take to the field tomorrow in the four-game series finale at Noon.

EARLY ERRORS PROVE COSTLY AS T-BIRDS DROP GAME ONE

Game One - Centenary 7 - SUU 2

SHREVEPORT, La. – May 4 – Four errors by the Thunderbirds in the first three innings of the ball game proved to be costly as Southern Utah dropped a 7-2 decision to the Gents of Centenary on Friday night.  The loss narrows the distance between the two teams in conference as SUU now stands at 5-8 with the Gents close behind at 4-5.

“I’m disappointed in the outcome today,” head coach David Eldredge said following the loss.  “I thought we would have some momentum after last weekend, but we struggled to find our groove.  Hopefully, today, we got the kinks out and we will do better tomorrow.”

Southern Utah began the game with four errors in the first three innings, turning into three Gent runs.  

Centenary extended its early 3-0 lead to 7-0 with four runs on three hits as the first two batters were hit by errant pitches.

The Thunderbirds mounted a comeback in the top of the fifth as Bucky Aona hit an RBI single followed by Joe Wright’s RBI double for the lone runs of the game for the visitors.

The Gents’ Brandon Fulenchek went the distance for the complete game, recording seven strikeouts in his eighth win of the season.  Southern Utah’s Derek Job was credited with the loss after allowing seven runs (five earned) in 3.2 innings.

The teams will take to the field again tomorrow in games two and three of the series with a doubleheader beginning at 3:00 p.m. Central Time.  Following the game with live stats via the following link: http://www.gocentenary.com/livestats/baseball/xlive.htm

SUU COMPLETES THE SWEEP WITH WINS IN GAMES THREE & FOUR

Game Four - SUU 21 - Oakland 4
Game Three - SUU 10 - Oakland 9

CEDAR CITY, Utah – April 28 – Southern Utah jumped right back into a conference tournament race as the Thunderbirds swept the Golden Grizzlies of Oakland University 10-9 and 21-4 on Saturday afternoon.  The wins move SUU to 5-7 in conference and 10-36 overall while OU drops to 1-7 in the Mid-Con and 14-24 overall.

“I’m proud of how the guys have been able to hold their heads high during the kind of season we’ve had,” head coach David Eldredge said.  “They could have thrown in the towel, but have fought every game and that is what gives us these kinds of results late in the year.”

Game one began as a home run derby with three of the five runs scored over the first two innings coming on free trips around the bases.

Oakland began the game with two runs in the first, followed by matching runs by the Thunderbirds in the home half of the inning.

Chester Wilson nailed a two-run home run in the inning and SUU bats remained hot in the bottom of the second as Robert Sandstrom hit a towering home run to dead center for the early 3-2 advantage for the home team.

SUU pulled ahead 4-2 in the third on an RBI single by Bucky Aona to drive home Chester Wilson who led off the inning with a double.

The teams then began to yo-yo the lead as Oakland tied the game at 4-4 with a two-run fourth inning, but lost the lead 5-4 as Southern Utah scored a run in the bottom of the same inning on a Cameron Nelson RBI double.

However, the lead wouldn’t last long as the pendulum again swung in the direction of Oakland with a tying run in the top of the fifth.

Following an identical three-run inning by both teams in the sixth inning, Oakland took a 9-8 lead in the final inning and look primed to take its first win of the series.

As the Thunderbirds came to the plate in the bottom of the inning Tyler Nielsen led off with a single and then pinch runner Ricardo Alvarez advanced to second on a fielding error by the second baseman.  The error proved to be costly as Jeramie Libke hit a double down the right field line, driving home the tying run.

Aona then came to plate after two outs with runners on first and third and hit a clutch two-out single to record the winning RBI for the 10-9 decision.

In game two of the doubleheader Oakland built a 4-3 lead after the first four and a half innings, but encountered a scoreless drought as Southern Utah bats exploded for 18 runs over the final five innings for the 21-4 win and a sweep of the series.

Chester Wilson and Cameron Nelson proved to be the MVP’s of the series as each belted three home runs and collected a total of 11 and ten RBI’s, respectively.  Keli’i Zablan was close behind with nine RBI’s and two home runs.

The Thunderbirds will now rest during finals week on campus before traveling to Shreveport, Louisiana for a Mid-Con clash with the Gents of Centenary May 4-6.

PITCHING AND HITTING COME TOGETHER AS SUU HOLDS OFF OAKLAND

Game Two - SUU 9 - Oakland 6
Game One - SUU 14 - Oakland 11

CEDAR CITY, Utah – April 27 – Southern Utah University baseball built a large lead and then held off the Golden Grizzlies of Oakland University in game one and then came from behind to post the teams’ first back-to-back wins this season on Friday afternoon.  The wins improved the Thunderbirds to 3-7 in the Mid-Con and 8-36 overall while Oakland drops to 1-5 in conference and 14-22 overall.

“It was nice to see our pitching and hitting come together in these wins,” head coach David Eldredge said after the two-game sweep.  “I was a little concerned in that first game in giving up some big runs, but our bats continued to drive in some runs for us.”

The runs began for the Thunderbirds in game one as lead-off batter Keli’i Zablan hit his first home run of the year followed by Bucky Aona’s shot two batters later to give the home team a quick 2-0 lead.

SUU added three more runs in the bottom of the second as Jacob Romney led off the inning with a double and crossed the plate on a Jerahmie Libke RBI single.  Mac Nelson and Libke also scored in the inning, building the Thunderbird lead to 5-0.

Oakland countered with its first run of the night on a double and triple in the third inning, but Southern Utah continued its scoring surge with two more runs in the home half of the third and another run in the bottom of the fourth for the 8-1 advantage.

However, the Golden Grizzlies cut the Thunderbird lead down quickly with six runs in the top of the fifth, coming to within one run with the 8-7 difference going into the bottom of the six inning.

The one-run differential was the closest Oakland came in the game as SUU ripped off a matching six-run inning in the bottom of the sixth, beginning with the second lead-off home run of the game for a T-Bird with Chester Wilson recording his fourth home run of the year.

Mac Nelson, Libke, Zablan (2) and Cameron Nelson each added RBI’s in the inning as the Thunderbirds increased their lead to 14-7 and held off a late four-run charge by Oakland in the final innings for the eventual 14-11 outcome.

In game two, Oakland jumped to the early lead with an RBI double in the first inning, but became deadlocked with SUU after an RBI double by the home team in the bottom of the third.

Southern Utah took its first lead of the game with a Cameron Nelson three-run double with the bases loaded in the following inning for the 4-1 lead.

The lead lasted only two innings as the Golden Grizzlies capitalized on another big middle inning with five runs in the top of the sixth and built a 6-4 advantage.

However, the Thunderbirds did not quit and tied the game at 6-6 on Cameron Nelson’s second home run of the game and an RBI double by Joe Wright in the bottom of the seventh.

SUU reliever Jacob Noyes silenced the Oakland bats with three scoreless innings, allowing only three hits in the winning effort as Thunderbirds bats retained their “ping” with three more runs in the bottom of the eighth for the 9-6 win.

Both teams will take to the field again tomorrow in another doubleheader in the final two games of the four-game series.  Country recording Sawyer Brown is scheduled to throw the first pitch in game one.

FIVE-RUN FIRST INNING BY UTAH GROUNDS T-BIRDS IN 8-3 DEFEAT

Game One - Utah 8 - SUU 3

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – April 24 – Southern Utah found itself behind early as the University of Utah laced together five runs in the bottom of the first inning and held the lead for the eventual 8-3 win on Tuesday afternoon.  The win improves the Utes to 19-21, while the Thunderbirds fall to 6-36.

Utah began the five-run inning with a lead-off home run by Nate Burnham and then added four more runs on RBI singles.

Southern Utah countered with a run in the top of the second and two runs in the fourth on a sacrifice fly, an RBI double and a double steal.

However, Utah added another two runs in the fifth and a run in the seventh to cement the 8-3 victory.

The Utes used a small platoon of pitchers, seven in all, with Chad Cullers collecting the win in only two innings of work.

The week of baseball will continue for Southern Utah as the Thunderbirds get back into Mid-Con play and host the Golden Grizzlies of Oakland University in back-to-back doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday.  Both games are scheduled to begin at Noon.

T-BIRDS SWEPT BY GOLDEN EAGLES IN 13-1 DEFEAT

Game Four - Oral Roberts 13 - SUU 1

TULSA, Okla. – April 21 – Oral Roberts starting pitching once again proved to be the demise of the Thunderbirds as Southern Utah failed to score a run until the top of the ninth in a 13-1 defeat in Mid-Con baseball action on Sunday afternoon.

ORU starter Marcus Tackett pitched seven innings, allowing six hits, no runs and recording three strikeouts in the win.  SUU starter Mac Nelson gave up ten runs (eight earned) in four innings of work in the loss.

Southern Utah found itself down early as the Golden Eagles ripped off two runs in the first, five runs in the fourth and six runs in the fifth for the 13-0 advantage.

The Thunderbirds looked to score runs in the fifth and seventh, stranding two base runners in each inning and finally broke through in the ninth as SUU capitalized on two walks in the inning for its only run of the game.

Southern Utah will now return to Cedar City before traveling to Salt Lake City on Tuesday for a meeting with the University of Utah and then host the Golden Grizzlies of Oakland on Friday and Saturday with doubleheaders on both days.

SUU FALLS IN MARATHON GAME ONE - BLANKED IN GAME TWO

Game Three - Oral Roberts 7 - SUU 0
Game Two - Oral Roberts 5 - SUU 4 (13 inn.)

TULSA, Okla. – April 21 – Despite a big four-run inning in game one of the doubleheader, Southern Utah lost in the bottom of the 13th (5-4) and then was held scoreless by Oral Roberts in game two (7-0) as the Golden Eagles took back-to-back victories from the Thunderbirds.  The loss drops the ‘Birds to 6-34 and 1-6 in conference, while ORU improves to 20-14 and 3-0 in the Mid-Con.

Game one of the doubleheader began with the Golden Eagles striking first, putting up a run in the bottom of the first as the umpire called a balk on SUU starting pitcher Dustin Wittwer walking in a run.

However the Thunderbirds put together their best offensive inning in the series with a four-run third inning on a two-run double by Cameron Nelson, a sacrifice fly by Chester Wilson and an RBI single by Bucky Aona.

The 4-1 lead looked as though it would hold as Wittwer held the Golden Eagles scoreless over the next few innings, but ORU found its swing and scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 4-4.

The game continued to be deadlocked through 13 innings with SUU’s Derek Job and ORU’s Chance Chapman in a pitchers’ duel through six innings.  The Golden Eagles would finally score the winning run on an RBI single to end the three hour 45 minute marathon.

In a shortened seven-inning contest in the second game of the doubleheader, ORU starter Jeremy Hefner proved to be too much for the Thunderbirds as the junior allowed only two hits and recorded 13 strikeouts in seven innings for the Golden Eagles.

The teams will take to the diamond once more in the series conclusion tomorrow at J. L. Johnson Stadium with the first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

EARLY INNING RUNS PROVE TO BE THE DEMISE OF T-BIRDS

Game One - Oral Roberts 10 - SUU 2

TULSA, Okla. – April 20 – Southern Utah fell behind early as Oral Roberts scored two runs in the first and six runs in the second to jump out to a quick lead and held on to defeat the Thunderbirds 10-4 in the first of four games between the two schools this weekend.

SUU starter Matt Wilson struggled, allowing eight runs on six hits in only two innings of work.  However, the bullpen that has been a concern for head coach David Eldredge came on strong in relief as Chase Hudson, Kyle Melling and Devin Everett allowed only two more runs on the board over the final seven innings.

Oral Roberts’ picked up the brunt of its scoring on a  two-run homerun by Mid-Con leader Chad Rothford in the first inning followed by a three-run triple by Kelly Minissale in the home half of the second.

The Thunderbrds countered in the top of the third with a two-run double by Robbie Richards and an RBI single by Bucky Aona to trim the deficit to 8-3.

However, it would be as close as Southern Utah would get as the Golden Eagles added another run in the fifth and seventh compared to the Thunderbirds’ one in the top of the fourth.

In the end, SUU fell 10-4 and will look to rebound tomorrow as the teams take to the field again in a doubleheader and conclude the series with a final game on Sunday.

T-BIRDS CAPITALIZE ON COUGAR ERRORS WITH 7-2 WIN IN PROVO

Game One - SUU 7 - BYU 2

PROVO, Utah – April 17 – Southern Utah capitalized on six BYU errors en route to a 7-2 win over the Cougars on Tuesday night at Miller Park in Provo.  The win ties the overall mark between the two teams with one win each during the course of the season.

Breaking a season trend of trailing early in games, the Thunderbirds secured the lead with a three-run inning in the top of the third.

Following an opening strikeout, SUU accumulated five base runners by way of singles or fielding errors by the Cougars.  The four hits and an error turned into the three runs with Chester Wilson, Bucky Aona and Matthew Bezzant tallying an RBI.

BYU answered with a run of its own in the home half of the third, but the Thunderbirds continued to cash in on mistakes by the home team with a run in the fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth innings.

The Cougars could only muster one more run in the bottom of the eighth for the eventual 7-2 outcome.

Cameron Nelson, Joe Wright and Mac Nelson each collected the final RBI’s for the Thunderbirds during the evening.  Aona and Wilson proved to have the hot bat during the game as each player collected three hits in addition to two runs by Wilson.

SUU starter Jacob Noyes (1-5) snapped his unbeaten streak with six strong innings of work, allowing only one run on three hits, three walks and four strikeouts.  BYU’s Blaine Howell also pitched six innings in the loss, recording a game-high eight strikeouts.

Southern Utah will resume conference play this weekend when the team travels to Tulsa, Okla. for a four-game series with the Golden Eagles of Oral Roberts University.  The T-Birds and Cougars will meet one more time before the season concludes with another night game in Provo on May 8.

SUU Drops Two Games in Two Cities in One Day

Game Three - UVSC 4 - SUU 2
Game One - Utah 9 - SUU 2

SALT LAKE CITY/OREM, Utah – April 11 – Southern Utah began its day facing the University of Utah on the diamond and left Ute Field with a 9-2 loss.  Following the earlier matinee, the Thunderbirds spent a nightcap back in Orem, suffering a 4-2 loss to the hands of the Wolverines of Utah Valley State College.

In the first game of the day, Southern Utah fell behind early as the Utes put together a three-run first and added another run in the third for the quick 4-0 lead.

The Thunderbirds countered in the top of the fourth as Jerahmie Libke hit a two-run double to halve the lead to 4-2, but it would be the final runs for SUU in the game.

The University of Utah added five more runs, including one in the fifth and two in the seventh and eighth innings for the 9-2 win.

The Utes used five pitchers with John James lingering on the mound for three innings in the longest stint of the pitching quintet.

Southern Utah would make the nightcap a much closer game after the Wolverines raced out to a 2-0 lead after the opening frame.  The Thunderbirds matched the opening inning of the home team with two runs of their own in the top of the second for the 2-2 deadlock.

Jacob Romney recorded his third homerun of the season, driving home the Thunderbirds’ two runs of the inning.

The tie wouldn’t last long for SUU as UVSC scored a third run in the home half of the third and fourth and outlasted the Thunderbirds down the stretch.

Starting pitchers went the distance for both clubs as SUU’s Mac Nelson was given the loss after 8.0 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on nine hits and six strikeouts.  UVSC’s M. Moore pitched a gem with a complete game, allowing two runs (all earned) on four hits and 14 strikeouts.

Southern Utah will have the weekend off before facing Brigham Young University in Provo in another midweek contest.  Following the game with the Cougars, the Thunderbirds will continue Mid-Con play with a road series against the Golden Eagles of Oral Roberts University April 20-22.

Thunderbirds Split Lopsided Results with UVSC

Game Two - SUU 16 - UVSC 5
Game One - UVSC 15 - SUU 6

OREM, Utah – April 10 – Southern Utah and Utah Valley State College traded lopsided wins in the fifth and sixth games between each school on Tuesday evening.  The Wolverines captured the 15-6 win in game one while the Thunderbirds countered with a 16-5 decision in game two.

UVSC took the early lead in game one with a two-run second inning and then put greater distance between them and the visiting T-Birds with a five-run fourth inning.

Southern Utah countered with two runs in the fifth and four runs in the sixth, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Wolverines strung together a six-run inning in the fifth and added another two runs in the sixth for the 15-6 decision.

Jacob Romney filled the box score for the Thunderbirds, going three of four from the plate, including two RBI and two runs scored.  Mac Nelson would also collect two RBI in the loss.

In game two, the teams swapped outcomes with Southern Utah capitalizing on five homeruns and a strong starting debut by freshman Alec Reichle on the mound.

The beginning of the game looked like much of the same in game one between the teams as UVSC jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after the first two innings.  However, Wolverine bats turned cold as the Thunderbirds heated up with SUU outscoring the home team 16-2 over the final seven innings.

The base clearing bonanza began in the third inning as Robbie Richards hit the first of five homeruns over the left field fence for the Thunderbirds’ first run of the game.  The scoring binge continued with a three-run home run by Matthew Bezzant in the fourth and another two-run shot on his next time at the plate in the fifth inning. 

Robert Sandstrom followed Bezzant’s first homerun with a solo shot of his own for the Thunderbirds’ fourth run in the fourth inning.

Chester Wilson joined the homerun parade in the eighth inning with a blast over the left center fence for first of four runs for SUU in the inning.

Bezzant was joined by Derek Pena with five RBI a piece, including three of six hitting from the plate for Bezzant and five of six hitting from the plate for Pena.

The offense proved to be more than enough for Reichle in his first collegiate start of his career, spanning 7.1 innings with four strikeouts.  Jacob Noyes closed out the game for the Thunderbirds, shutting the Wolverines out down the stretch and allowing only one hit.

The teams will conclude the three-game series tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. preceded by a trip to the University of Utah for an afternoon matinee game, beginning at 1:00 p.m.

Southern Utah Orchestrates a Comback, but Falls in the Ninth 4-3

Game Four - Western Illinois 4 - SUU 3

CEDAR CITY, Utah – April 7 – Southern Utah took an early lead, then fell behind, then chipped into the lead to tie, but ultimately fell to the Leathernecks of Western Illinois 4-3 in the final game of the series between the two teams on Saturday afternoon.

“Obviously it isn’t a positive to lose a home conference series,” head coach David Eldredge said after the game, “but, we did have positive aspects, in that our starting pitching was good and we got our hits, but couldn’t get that one clutch hit when it really mattered.”

The Thunderbirds began the game with a Keli’i Zablan lead-off double, followed by a single by Joe Wright to drive in the first run of the game.

Western Illinois put its first runs on the board in the third as SUU starter Matt Wilson hit the first two batters of the inning.  Both runners would score on a double and a sacrifice fly later in the inning and the Leathernecks would add another run for a total of three in the frame.

Southern Utah stayed close and chipped into the lead with runs in the fifth and sixth inning to tie the game at 3-3 late in the game.  SUU’s run in the fifth came on a missed tag as Jacob Romney was advancing to home on a failed squeeze play.  The run in the sixth came when a Chester Wilson double translated into a run on an RBI single by Bucky Aona on his next at bat.

The Leathernecks snapped the tie in the top of the ninth when a one-out single drove home the man on second for the 4-3 advantage.

The Thunderbirds looked primed to counter with a lead-off double in the bottom of the frame, but pinch runner Ricardo Alvarez was thrown out at home in his attempt to score the tying run.

In the end, Western Illinois would wrap up the game 4-3 and take the series from the Thunderbirds.

SUU starting pitching once again remained late in the game as Wilson pitched into the ninth inning, recording four strikeouts in the process.  WIU’s Todd Nelson picked up his second win of the series in relief.

Southern Utah will be back in action next weekend when the Thunderbirds travel to Orem and face the Utah Valley State Wolverines in a three-game series.  SUU will also play a game at the University of Utah earlier in the day of the 11th before the nightcap with the Wolverines to complete the series.

Thunderbirds Split Doubleheader with Leathernecks

Game Three - Western Illinois 7 - SUU 2
Game Two - SUU 4 - Western Illinois 1

CEDAR CITY, Utah – April 6 – Good Friday could have been better for the Southern Utah University baseball team as the Thunderbirds split games two and three with the Western Illinois Leathernecks on Friday afternoon.  Mac Nelson pitched SUU’s first complete game of the season in the 4-1 win in game two and then started at second base in game three as the Thunderbirds fell 7-2.

“Mac pitched a really good game for us in the first game,” head coach David Eldredge said after the first game of the day.  “However, we got complacent in game two and our relief pitching continues to be a concern.  We are still trying to find a guy who came come in and put up some zeroes for us in the later innings.”

The Thunderbirds began quickly in game one of the doubleheader as Keli’i Zablan’s leadoff single turned into a run on a Bucky Aona single three batters later.

The lead wouldn’t last long when the Leathernecks tied the score at 1-1 in the top of the second on a sacrifice fly by Jake Corley, driving in Matt Newquist who had singled earlier in the inning.

However, Southern Utah would take the lead again in the fifth with a three-run inning on a two-run double from Zablan and a squeeze bunt by Cameron Nelson.

The Thunderbirds then put their trust in the arm of Mac Nelson, as no relievers were used down the stretch, and the junior would not disappoint.  The transfer from Salt Lake Community College picked up his second win of the season, going the distance with four strikeouts, allowing five hits and one earned run.

In game two, Western Illinois turned the table and got out to a fast start with a two-run homerun in the top of the first for the early 2-0 advantage.

SUU’s Matthew Bezzant would counter with a homerun of his own in the bottom of the second, but the Leathernecks continued the offensive pressure with another run in the top of the third.

WIU added four more runs in the sixth and seventh inning, in the shortened game and Southern Utah answered with only one more run in the 7-2 defeat.

“I thought our guys would be tired of losing by now,” Eldredge said of the team’s 4-27 record.  “We can’t come out complacent in games and be successful.  We still can turn the season around in conference, but we will have to do it one game at a time.”

The Thunderbirds can split the series with the Leathernecks in the final game of the four-game set tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.

Southern Utah Drops 12-9 Ten Inning Heartbreaker to Western Illinois

Game One - Western Illinois 12 - SUU 9

CEDAR CITY, Utah – April 5 – Southern Utah looked to be in control with a 5-0 lead going into the top of the seventh, but Western Illinois scored eight runs in the final three innings and another four in the tenth to steal a 12-9 win over the Thunderbirds in each teams’ Mid-Con openers on Thursday afternoon.  The loss drops SUU to 3-26 on the season while the Leathernecks improve to 16-14.

“I feel really bad for Dustin (Wittwer),” head coach David Eldredge said of his starting pitcher.  “He pitched a gem today, but one or two guys failed to step up again for us today and it cost us.”

Wittwer held the Leathernecks scoreless through the first six innings as the Thunderbirds built a 5-0 advantage.

Southern Utah looked to put the first points up on the board in the third inning with the bases loaded and one out.  However, WIU starter Quinn Leath got out of the inning unscathed with two consecutive outs.

Western Illinois did not fare as well in the fifth inning when Chester Wilson hit a high bounding ball clearing the centerfielder’s head and Wilson capitalized, hoofing the hit into an inside-the-park homerun, scoring three.

The Thunderbirds added another two runs in the sixth inning on a Jacob Romney homerun a Keli’i Zablan two-out single that drove in Mac Nelson on third.

In the seventh inning, the wheels began to come off on the SUU win as the Leathernecks recorded four runs on a hit and an error in the inning.  Wittwer left the game after an errant pitch hit the second batter, advancing the first run of the inning with one out.

Senior Matt Wilson came on in relief and gave up the final four runs of the final three innings (all earned).

Entering the bottom of the ninth inning SUU trailed WIU 8-6, but showed heart and tied the game 8-8 on a no-out single and a fielder’s choice, scoring Zablan and Cameron Nelson.

However, the late rally proved to futile as Western Illinois ripped off four runs in the top of the tenth to Southern Utah’s one for the 12-9 win.

SUU’s Kyle Melling was given the loss in relief while WIU’s Todd Nelson recorded the win with two solid innings.

Each team will take to the field again tomorrow in a doubleheader beginning at Noon.  Southern Utah’s Mac Nelson will be pitted against WIU’s Travis Tolsma in game one and Derek Job will take the mound for the Thunderbirds in game two against Western’s Rob Johnson.

SUU Swept by Dons with Losses in Games Two and Three

Game Three - San Francisco 13 - SUU 5
Game Two - San Francisco 7 - SUU 0

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – March 24 – Southern Utah University baseball dropped the final two games in its three-game series with the Dons of the University of San Francisco 7-0, 13-5 as USF completed the weekend sweep.

In game two, the Thunderbirds mustered only three hits as Dons’ starter Poreda (4-2) pitched six innings with eight strikeouts and a walk.  Southern Utah starter Derek Job (0-5) was credited with the loss after 4.1 innings of work in which he gave up seven runs (all earned) on 12 hits and five strikeouts.

In the final game of the series, San Francisco capitalized on a six-run fifth inning and two three-run innings in the seventh and eighth to post the 13-5 win.

Three of the Thunderbirds’ runs came on a three-run blast by senior Cameron Nelson with his team-leading fourth homerun of the season.

Southern Utah will have a week off before beginning Mid-Continent Conference play when the Thunderbirds host the Leathernecks of Western Illinois in a four-game series April 5-7.

Seven-run Inning Sinks Thunderbirds in 12-5 Game One Loss

Game One - San Francisco 12 - SUU 5

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – March 22 – A seven-run inning by San Francisco led to a Thunderbird loss in game one of a three-game set between the two teams.  USF’s Jason Dufloth (4-3) picked up the win in 6.0 innings of work, allowing three runs (all earned) on six hits and five strikeouts.  SUU’s Chase Hudson (0-2) suffered his second loss of the season in his first collegiate start.

The Dons jumped out to an early lead with two runs in the first inning, but were quickly matched by the Thunderbirds in the second inning with two runs of their own.

SUU recorded the runs off the bats of Jacob Romney with an RBI single, driving in Chester Wilson on third base.  Robert Sandstrom crossed the plate later on in the inning on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Colby Ford.

San Francisco once again took the lead with another two runs in the bottom of the second inning and then took a strangle hold on the game with seven runs in the fourth.  Four of the seven runs in the inning came with two outs on the board.

Southern Utah scored another run in the sixth and two more runs in the ninth, but couldn’t overcome the big momentum swing from the fourth.

Both teams will take to the field again tomorrow with game two of the series beginning at 1:00 p.m.

Southern Utah Unable to Turn Hits into Runs in 6-1 Loss to San Jose State

Game One - San Jose State 6 - SUU 1

SAN JOSE, Calif. – March 20 – Southern Utah collected more hits than its opposition (seven to six), but were unable to parlay the hits into runs, losing to the San Jose State Spartans 6-1 on Tuesday night.  SJSU starter Steven Vidal (1-1) pitched eight innings, allowing one run on seven hits with six strikeouts for the win.  SUU starter Jacob Noyes (0-5) remained winless on the year in only 2.2 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and two strikeouts.

The Spartans methodically increased their lead with one run in the first, second, third and fourth inning and two runs in the fifth for the early 6-0 advantage.  The Thunderbirds would finally break through and score a run in the top of the eighth, but it wouldn't be enough in the 6-1 defeat.

Junior Jerahmie Libke proved to be the most consistent bat for the Thunderbirds, going two of three on the day with a run.

Southern Utah will remain in California and travel to the University of San Francisco for a weekend three-game set with the Dons.  Game one of the series will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 22.

Thunderbirds Swept by Gaels in Heartbreaking Game Four

Game Four - St. Mary's 9 - SUU 8 (10 innings)

MORAGA, Calif. – March 18 – Southern Utah led for the first time in the series with three runs in the first three innings only to lose the lead to the Gaels with a five-run sixth inning.  However, the Thunderbirds answered with three runs scattered over the seventh and ninth inning to extend the game to extra innings.  But the home team would prevail and sweep SUU with a run in the bottom of the tenth for the 9-8 decision.

Southern Utah began the scoring in the top of the first when a single from Keli’i Zablan turned into a run on a Bucky Aona sacrifice fly.  The lead was SUU’s first of the series and the Thunderbirds would add another two runs in the third for the 3-0 advantage.

The runs in the third came off the bats of Chester Wilson, driving in Cameron Nelson who had hit a leadoff double.  Jacob Romney hit his first homerun of the year to add the second run of the inning.

The Gaels would fight back and score eight runs to Southern Utah’s two in the middle three innings to take an 8-5 lead going into the seventh inning.

However, the Thunderbirds would not give up and Romney added his second RBI of the game, driving in Wilson who had singled earlier in the seventh inning.

Southern Utah tied the score at 8-8 with two more runs in the top of the ninth as two leadoff walks by C. Nelson and Wilson proved to be costly.  Aona recorded his third RBI of the game with a single, driving in C. Nelson and Wilson’s walk turned into a run with Colby Ford crossing home plate on a sacrifice fly.

The game remained tied after SUU held the Gaels scoreless in the bottom of the ninth, but momentum swung in the direction of St. Mary’s after SMC reliever Scott Schneider fanned the side in the top of the tenth.

Thunderbird reliever Kyle Melling did not fare as well, giving up two leadoff walks and ultimately, the winning run in the 9-8 defeat in the bottom of the tenth.

Southern Utah will continue its California road swing on Tuesday in a one-game set with San Jose State University.  The Thunderbirds will then travel to San Francisco for a three-game set with the University of San Francisco March 22-24.

SUU Falls Behind Early Leading to a Pair of Defeats vs St. Mary's

Game Two - St. Mary's 9 - SUU 4
Game Three - St. Mary's 4 - SUU 3

MORAGA, Calif. – March 17– Southern Utah once again found itself behind early as St. Mary's built quick leads in games two and three, leading to Gael wins in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.  The Thunderbirds would fall 9-4 in the first game and narrowly lose the second 4-3 in a comeback that just came up short.

In the first game of the doubleheader, SMC score a run in the first and two runs in the second before Southern Utah answered with two runs of its own in the top of the third.

The Gaels scored score another run in the bottom of the third, but was quickly followed by another run for SUU in the top of the fourth, bringing the game to within one at 4-3.

Both starters, SUU’s Mac Nelson and SMC’s Brandon Berl, pitched seven strong innings with four strikeouts for Nelson and ten for Berl.  Nelson would allow seven hits and six runs (five earned) while Berl allowed eight hits, but only allow three runs (all earned).

The Gaels put the clamps on a win with five late runs to seal the victory as St. Mary’s drove in two in the sixth and another three in the eighth.  The Thunderbirds added another run in the top of the ninth, but it wouldn’t be enough in the 9-4 defeat.

In game two of the doubleheader, St. Mary’s once again jumped to an early lead with two runs in the bottom of the first.  The Gaels later added another two runs in the bottom of the fifth for the 4-0 advantage.

However, the Thunderbirds maintained their focus and recorded back-to-back singles with one out in the sixth inning by Bucky Aona and Matthew Bezzant.  Aona advance to third on a fly ball on the next batter and then advanced to home on a Jerahmie Libke single, trimming the lead to 4-1.

The game became even tighter in the seventh as SUU added two more runs, but couldn’t get any more runs despite base runners in the eight and ninth inning for the 4-3 loss.

SUU starting pitching once again showed longevity as Derek Job collected four strikeouts and scattered four hits in 7.0 innings.  St. Mary’s starter, Anthony Alliotti, pitching 5.2 innings, allowed one run on six hits with nine strikeouts.

The Thunderbirds and Gaels will wrap up the series on Sunday in game four of the four-game series.  The first pitched is scheduled to be thrown at 1:00 p.m.

Southern Utah Blanked in Game One of St. Mary's Series

Game One - St. Mary's 10 - SUU 0

MORAGA, Calif. – March 16 – A big first inning and a starting pitcher that almost went the distance for St. Mary's proved to be too much for the Thunderbirds as Southern Utah dropped the first game of the series with the Gaels 10-0 on Friday afternoon.

SMC starter Sean Gleason pitched 8.2 innings, compiling 11 strikeouts for his fourth win of the season.  Southern Utah's Dustin Wittwer allowed six runs (five earned) in 3.1 innings for the loss.

The Gaels would erupt in the first inning with five runs to collect an early lead and didn't look back as the Southern Utah managed only seven hits off Gleason.

Chester Wilson and Ricardo Alvarez each collected two of the Thunderbirds' seven total hits on the day.

Southern Utah will look to jump start its bats as the teams once again take to the field for games two and three of the series today in a doubleheader.  The first pitched will be thrown at 11:00 a.m.

Thunderbirds Drop Final Game 23-7 to Utah

Game Three - Utah 23 - SUU 7

CEDAR CITY, Utah – March 10 – Southern Utah pitchers were drilled for 17 hits and 23 runs, including five home runs as the Thunderbirds lost 23-7 to the University of Utah in the final game of the series between the two teams on Saturday afternoon.  SUU starter Dustin Wittwer pitched a one-two-three inning in the first, but allowed nine runs (seven earned) over the next 1.2 innings for his third loss of the season.

The Utes built a quick advantage with five runs in the second inning and four runs in the third for the 9-0 lead.  However, the Thunderbirds made a two-out run in the bottom of the third scoring three runs to get within six.

It would be the closest the ‘Birds would get during the game as Utah bats did not cool down, adding a run in the fourth, five runs in the sixth and seventh and another three runs in the eighth.

Southern Utah countered with a run in the sixth and eighth and two runs in the seventh in the 23-7 defeat.

Utah’s Dustin Hennis scored almost a third of the Utes’ runs with three homers, including a single shot in the second, a two-run blast in the third and a base clearing grand slam in the seventh for a total of seven RBI in the game.

SUU’s Joe Wright would provide highlight reel material for the home team with a solo shot of his own in the eighth inning with the game out of reach.

The Thunderbirds will be back in action next weekend in Moraga, Calif. when the team visits St. Mary’s in a three-game series March 16-18.

Late Inning Surge by Utah Leads to 9-3 Loss for Thunderbirds

Game Two - Utah 9 - SUU 3

CEDAR CITY, Utah – March 9 – Southern Utah relievers surrendered six runs over the final three innings as the Thunderbirds fell to the University of Utah at Thunderbird Park 9-3 in game two of the three-game series Friday afternoon.  Utah’s Stephen Fife pitched six scoreless innings in relief for the win while Chase Hudson allowed three runs in 1.1 innings of work for the loss.

The University of Utah took an early lead in the after with one run in the second and another two runs in the top of the third.

However, the Thunderbirds would battle back and tie the score at 3-3 with three runs of their own in the bottom of the third.

Jerahmie Libke began the inning by drawing a walk and then advance when the pitcher bobbled Jacob Romney’s bunt, putting men on first and second.  Cameron Nelson would load the bases after drawing a walk and one run would score when Bucky Aona drilled a single through the right side, scoring Libke.

In the next at bat, Chester Wilson grounded into a double play for the first two outs of the inning, but still drove in a run.  Tyler Nielsen recorded the final run for the Thunderbirds in the inning with a two-out single, driving in Nelson on third.

Southern Utah encountered a huge momentum shift in the bottom of the fourth when SUU loaded the bases for the second straight inning, but failed to score a run.  Utah reliever Stephen Fife entered with the bases loaded and no outs and turned away the Thunderbirds’ two, three and four hitters to end the inning.

Junior Mac Nelson pitched six solid innings for the Thunderbirds in the no decision, holding the Utes scoreless during the fourth, fifth and sixth inning after a rocky start.

Utah’s Fife continued to carry the momentum gained from the fourth inning and shut out Southern Utah over the final six innings, recording eight strikeouts in the win.

SUU relievers did not fair as well, giving up six runs over the final three innings in the 9-3 defeat.

Both teams will take the field for the final game in the series tomorrow with the first pitch scheduled to be thrown at 1:00 p.m.

Big First Inning and Strong Relief Leads to 7-6 Win Over Utes

Game One - SUU 7 - Utah 6

CEDAR CITY, Utah - March 8 - Southern Utah scored five runs in the opening inning and senior Matt Wilson pitched six solid innings of relief in a 7-6 win over the University of Utah at Thunderbird Park on Thursday afternoon.  The win snaps a seven-game losing streak for the Thunderbirds and was highlighted by a perfect day at the plate by freshman Buck Aona.

Southern Utah got out to a quick start in the game with five runs in the first inning.  Thunderbirds bats combined for three doubles, two singles and capitalized on two Utah errors for their best start of the year.

Senior Cameron Nelson and Freshman Bucky Aona would collect two of the three doubles in the inning; much to the delight of head coach David Eldredge.

“Cam and Bucky did a great job for us today,” Eldredge said.  “Those two guys have been consistent for us all year and have really been tough outs.  In a year where we have been struggling, they are definitely the high points in our offense.”

Utah found its hitting groove and battled back with a run in the second and three runs in the third to narrow the Thunderbird lead to 5-4.  SUU started Derek Job, but it was Wilson who gave up only one more run over the next six innings to record the win.

“We thought Wilson was going to be in our starting rotation this year,” Eldrege said of his pitcher.  “But he did a great job in relief and I think it was definitely a step in the right direction for him.”

Cameron Nelson added to the Thunderbird lead in the bottom of the fourth, blasting a two-run homerun that would ultimately decide the outcome of the game.

The Utes made a push down the stretch with a run in the sixth and ninth inning, but the Thunderbirds would hold on for the 7-6 victory.

Freshman Kyle Melling was credited with the save after pitching the one-run ninth while Utah’s Lucas Trinnaman suffered his second defeat of the season in the loss.

Both teams will once again take to the field tomorrow when game two of the series gets underway at 1:00 p.m. at Thunderbird Park.

Thunderbirds Swept by Huskies in Two-Game Series

Game Two - UW 6 - SUU2
Game One - UW 7 - SUU 1

SEATTLE, Wash. – March 6 – Southern Utah’s losing streak extended to seven games with back-to-back losses to the University of Washington in Seattle on Monday and Tuesday.  The 7-1 and 6-2 defeats drop the Thunderbirds’ record to 2-15 overall on the season.

In game one of the series, SUU would find itself in a hole early with six runs given up over the first two innings.  Sophomore Jacob Noyes (0-4) continued to struggle, playing 1.2 innings and allowing the six runs, four of which were earned.

Junior Chase Hudson would come on in relief and pitch 4.1 innings, allowing four hits and the Huskies’ final run.

Southern Utah picked up its lone run in the top of the third with two singles to leadoff the inning, advancing David Pena to third base.  Pena would come across the plate on the subsequent batter as the Huskies turned a double play.

The second game of the series would begin in much the same fashion as the first with Washington beginning the game with four runs in the bottom of the first inning.  Junior Dustin Wittwer rebounded from the shaky first inning and pitch six more scoreless innings while recording three strikeouts.

Thunderbird bats would secure runs in the third and eighth inning highlighted by freshman Bucky Aona’s first collegiate homerun.

SUU will host its third home series of the season this weekend as the Thunderbirds host the University of Utah March 8-10.  All of the games are scheduled to be played at Thunderbird Park with the first pitch being thrown at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday.

Late Innings Surge Leads to 17-2 Defeat

Box Score - UVSC 17 - SUU 2

LEWISTON, Idaho – March 4 – A seven-run sixth and a six-run seventh inning for UVSC would prove to be too much as the Thunderbirds fell to the Wolverines 17-2 on the final day of the Banana Belt Tournament.  UVSC moves to 4-8 with the win while SUU drops to 2-13 on the season.

The Thunderbirds had a manageable 4-1 deficit going into the bottom of the sixth before UVSC bats exploded for eight hits, leading to seven runs and three SUU errors.  Five of the seven runs came with two outs in the inning with Southern Utah struggling to turn the final out.

The barrage of runs would continue in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Thunderbirds allowed five hits, turning into six runs and an error.

Southern Utah would pick up its two runs in the sixth and ninth with Mac Nelson recording the teams’ lone RBI.

Games will continue tomorrow for the team when the Thunderbirds travel to take on the University of Washington.  The two-game series with the Huskies begins on Monday, March 5 with the first pitch scheduled for 5:00 p.m.

Late Rally Falls Short in 4-2 Loss to Gonzaga

Box Score - Gonzaga 4 - SUU 2

LEWISTON, Idaho – Southern Utah would score two-runs in the bottom of the ninth, but it would be as close as the Thunderbirds would come in a 4-2 loss to the Gonzaga Bulldogs in a late-ending game on Saturday night.

Both teams remained scoreless through the first four innings until the Bulldogs hit back-to-back doubles with two outs for the first run of the game in the top of the fifth inning.

Thunderbird starter Mac Nelson would record a solid outing seven strikeouts and only three runs over 6 and one-third innings.

Gonzaga would add two more runs in the seventh and a run in the eight for a 4-0 advantage going into the bottom of the ninth.

After the first out of the inning, SUU third baseman Chester Wilson would draw a walk and one batter later senior Cameron Nelson hit a homerun in what looked to be a Southern Utah rally.

Bucky Aona would follow with a single on a 3-2 count, but it would be the final hit of the inning and the end of the Thunderbird rally.

Southern Utah will conclude the Banana Belt Tournament today with a game against UVSC.  It will be the fourth meeting of the season between the two teams with the first pitch scheduled for 11:00 a.m.

Thunderbirds Blanked by Washington State on Day Two of Banana Belt Tournament

Box Score - WSU 13 - SUU 0

PULLMAN, Wash. – March 2 - For the first time this season, Southern Utah was held scoreless in a 13-0 defeat to Washington State in second-day action of the Banana Belt Tournament.  The loss drops the Thunderbirds to 2-11 while the Cougars improve to 5-3.

Washington State sophomore Matt Way pitched six scoreless innings, recording five strikeouts in the win and freshman Michael Ratigan maintained the scoreless streak through the final three innings for the save.

Southern Utah’s Derek Job was credited with the loss, allowing seven runs (six earned) in 3.1 innings of work.

The Thunderbirds committed three errors that proved to be costly as the Cougars scored 13 runs on only 12 hits, including only two doubles.

SUU will continue games in the Banana Belt Tournament tomorrow when the team takes to the field against the Bulldogs of Gonzaga University before concluding the tournament with familiar foe UVSC in the teams’ fourth meeting of the season on Sunday.

Southern Utah Welcomed by Host Lewis-Clark State with 10-4 Loss

Box Score - LCSC 10 - SUU 4

LEWISTON, Idaho – March 1- Southern Utah University Baseball opened the Banana Belt Tournament against host Lewis-Clark State and were welcomed with a 10-4 opening round loss.  SUU’s Dustin Wittwer (1-1) recorded the loss and LCSC’s Matt Fitts remains undefeated at 2-0 with the win.

The Warriors of Lewis-Clark State would put the first run on the board and take the early 1-0 lead after the first inning.

Southern Utah loaded the bases in the top of the second and appeared ready to score, but a fielder’s choice and a strikeout left the Thunderbirds with only one run.

LCSC would take the lead for good in the bottom of the second with two runs for the 3-1 advantage, despite another run from SUU in the top of the third.

Lewis-Clark State would add two more runs in the fourth and seventh and three runs in the fifth to out distance the Thunderbirds one-run innings in the fifth and sixth.

Play at the Banana Belt Tournament will continue tomorrow when Southern Utah plays the Cougars of Washington State.  The first pitch of the game is scheduled to be thrown at 5:30 p.m.

Slow Start Burns Thunderbirds in 20-2 Loss to BYU

Box Score - BYU 20 - SUU 2

ST GEORGE, Utah – Feb. 27 – Southern Utah gave up seven runs in the first inning, struggling to find its groove early and ended the baseball contest with Brigham Young on the losing side of a 20-2 defeat.  SUU’s Jacob Noyes (0-3) would be credited with the loss after only two-thirds of an inning and BYU’s Jesse Craig (1-1) pitched five innings for the win.

The Cougars would start the scoring quickly in the first with a leadoff home run by Leon Johnson and teammate Dan Vargas would punctuate the inning with a two-out three-run home run as Brigham Young’s No. 9 hitter.

BYU bats would stay hot in the third, fourth and sixth inning with three more balls that exited the yard.  Austin Hall would hit a leadoff homerun in the third, J.T. Musso would add a three-run shot in the fourth and Apana Nakayama would hit a grand slam in the sixth in the offensive showcase.

Southern Utah would score its runs in the second and eighth inning, beginning with a Cameron Nelson walk.  Chester Wilson would follow and hit a long single to center field, advancing Nelson to third base.  One batter later, DH Bucky Aona was thrown out by the shortstop, but Nelson would cross the plate during the play.

Joe Wright would collect a single in the eighth and then advance to third on a base hit by Jerahmie Libke.  Wright would cross the plate for the Thunderbirds’ final run on a balk by BYU pitcher Clayton Barnes.

The loss drops the T-Birds to 2-9 on the season while the Cougars improve to 5-3.  Southern Utah will have very little time before traveling to Lewiston, Idaho to compete in the Banana-Belt Tournament March 1-4.  SUU will face Lewis-Clark State, Washington State, Gonzaga and UVSC over the course of the four-day tournament.

Southern Utah Splits Final Two Games with UVSC

Game Three - SUU 8 - UVSC 2
Game Two - UVSC 5 - SUU 3

CEDAR CITY/ST GEORGE, Utah – Feb. 24 – Southern Utah University Baseball would find its hitting stroke in an 8-2 win in the final game of a three-game series with Utah Valley State College on Saturday afternoon.  The Thunderbirds would come up short against the Wolverines earlier in the day in the conclusion of game two with a 5-3 defeat.

“We were able to find our pitching over this series,” head coach David Eldredge said after the final game.  “That is definitely something to be optimistic about.  I also thought we did a good job today with our bats in much better weather than Thursday.”

In the second game of the series, SUU starter Derek Job appeared automatic over the first five and a half innings, retiring the first 14 batters in order and compiling three strikeouts before two UVSC runs would cross the plate in the fifth inning.

Matt Wilson would come on in relief for the Thunderbirds in the sixth inning with the score tied at two and give up three consecutive base hits as the lead shifted to UVSC in a two-run inning.

The game would be postponed at the top of the eighth due to darkness on Thursday night and play would resume on Saturday afternoon.

Following the day delay, the Wolverines would hold onto the lead despite a Thunderbird rally in the bottom of the eighth as Southern Utah scored one run, but left three on base.  SUU would leave another man on base in the bottom of the ninth in the 5-3 defeat.

UVSC’s Kyle Kasper (1-0) would be credited with the win and Marcus Moore would collect his first save of the year in the victory.  Job would be tagged with the loss and now has an 0-2 record despite the strong showing.

In the final game of the series, Southern Utah would look improved on both the mound and the plate, driving home eight runs on 14 hits.  SUU starting pitcher Mac Nelson would allow only two runs while racking up five strikeouts over seven innings in the win.  Reliever Kyle Melling would pitch two shutout innings along with four strikeouts for the save.

The Wolverines began the game with the 2-0 lead and looked to control the outcome of the game once again until two lead-off homeruns by SUU’s Cameron Nelson in the fourth and Tyler Nielsen in the fifth shifted momentum to the side of the Thunderbirds.

Southern Utah would add two three-run innings in the bottom of the seventh and eighth for the 8-2 victory.

SUU will be back on the diamond on Tuesday when Southern Utah plays host to Brigham Young University at Thunderbird Park.  Following the game with the Cougars, Southern Utah will travel to Lewiston, Idaho to compete in the Banana Belt Tournament March 1-4.

Blustery Conditions Lead to Thunderbird Loss

Game One - UVSC 3 - SUU 2

CEDAR CITY, Utah – Feb. 22 – High winds led to low scoring outputs between Southern Utah University and Utah Valley State College in the teams’ opening game in a three-game series on Thursday.  The Wolverines would hand the Thunderbirds a 3-2 defeat with a run in the top of the ninth for the win.

The loss drops SUU to 1-7 on the year and gave UVSC its first win and a 1-5 record.

“We made some mistakes with our base running today,” head coach David Eldredge said.  “I think we had some opportunities to score and were not able to capitalize on them.  In low scoring games and poor weather like this, you have to take advantage of each opportunity.”

UVSC would take an early 2-0 lead with runs in the first and fourth inning.  SUU starter Dustin Wittwer was strong in eight innings of work, struggling to find his groove early, throwing two wild pitches that would lead to the Wolverines’ first run.

However, the junior would regain his accuracy and allow only one more run over the next seven innings, compiling six strikeouts along the way.

Southern Utah bats would tie the game with runs in the seventh and eighth innings on an RBI from freshman Bucky Aona and a wild pitch from UVSC starter Bryan Smith.

The winning run would come in the top of the ninth as UVSC’s Austin Heaps hit a two-out double into center and Derrick Thomas would make the most of a walk earlier in the inning by crossing the plate.

Game two of the doubleheader was called after the bottom of the seventh inning and will resume tomorrow with UVSC holding a 4-2 advantage.  The final game of the series is planned for Saturday, but could be played immediately following the conclusion of game two with game times unclear with the impending storm.

Thunderbirds Drop Final Two Games to Toros

Game Four - CSUDH 10 - SUU 1
Game Three - CSUDH 7 - SUU 5

CARSON, Calif. – Feb. 17 – Southern Utah University Baseball would drop its final two games against Cal State Dominquez Hills with 7-5 and 10-1 decisions against the Toros in a doubleheader finale on Saturday.

In the first game of the afternoon, the Thunderbirds came back from a 0-2 deficit after the second inning to take the 3-2 lead in the top of the third on RBI’s from Colby Ford, Joe Wright and Chester Wilson.

The Toros would take the lead back with a two-run fifth inning for the 4-3 advantage.  Southern Utah would then tie the game in the top of the seventh as Chester Wilson picked up his second RBI on the day with a sacrifice fly, bringing Jerahmie Libke across the plate.

However, three runs by CSUDH in the bottom of the seventh would seal the win for the Toros despite another Thunderbird run in the top of the eighth.

Dominquez Hills’ James Dodson would record his first win of the season on the mound as SUU’s Mac Nelson fell to 0-2 on the year.

In the second game, the Toros would dispatch the Thunderbirds in seven innings with 10 runs on seven hits for the 10-1 decision.  Jacob Noyes would be credited with the loss in his first start of the season, allowing nine earned runs over four innings with five strikeouts.

The Thunderbirds will hope for better results next weekend when Southern Utah hosts UVSC in a four-game series Feb. 22-24.

Southern Utah Comes From Behind for 10-7 Win

Game Two - SUU 10 - CSUDH 7

CARSON, Calif. – Feb. 16 – Southern Utah University Baseball had its first lead of the season with a 2-0 advantage in the middle of the second inning only to see Cal State Dominquez Hills take a 7-4 lead after the bottom of the sixth inning.  However the Thunderbirds would muster a come-back and secure their first win of the season with a six run swing down the stretch for the 10-7 win.

“I was very proud of my guys today,” head coach David Eldredge said.  “They could have held their heads low going into those final few innings, but they didn’t and came out strong over the final three innings for the win.”

SUU’s Bucky Aona would reach first on an error as the lead-off batter in the second inning and then advance to home after a Robbie Richards triple to right field.  Richards would then come home on a Jacob Romney single on the next at bat for the ‘Birds’ two runs during the inning.

The Toros would then make a run and score three runs over the course of the second and third inning, before the Thunderbirds again took the advantage in the top of the fourth inning with two more runs for the 4-3 lead.

Chester Wilson began the fourth inning with a double down the right field line and moved to third on an errant throw later in the inning.  He would then cross the plate on poor defense and the first of two errors by CSUDH during the inning.

Richards would again get on base after an error by Houston Hernandez, playing second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch that couldn’t be controlled by Toros’ catcher Martin Conde.

Richards would score on the very next at bat as Romney collected another big hit, doubling to center field for his second RBI of the game.

The tide would once again shift against the Thunderbirds as Dominquez Hills ripped off four runs in the bottom of the fifth for a 7-4 advantage.

“I was worried that our guys would get down about being behind like that,” Eldredge said of the late disadvantage.  “But I told our guys to get excited because it was one of the first time that a win was really in reach for us this year.  I was proud of the way they came out and responded.”

The Thunderbirds would proceed to put one run up in the seven and then tie the score in the eighth with two runs.  SUU would seal the 10-7 win on a Cameron Nelson homerun that would drive in the final three runs in the top of the ninth for the victory.

Southern Utah junior Dustin Wittwer picked up the win with 3.2 innings of work and four strikeouts.  Sophomore Jacob Noyes was credited with the save with a scoreless ninth inning, including a strikeout.

The teams will meet again on the diamond tomorrow in the final two games of the series.  The first pitch of the double header is scheduled to be tossed at 11:00 a.m.

Thunderbirds defeated 14-1 in Game One at CS-Dominquez Hills

Game One - CSDH 14 - SUU 1

CARSON, Calif. – Feb. 15 – Southern Utah scored one run in the third inning as Cal State Dominquez Hills pitching befuddled Thunderbird bats in the 14-1 loss for SUU in the first of four games between the two schools.  CSDH's David Leyva pitched seven solid innings, giving up only one run on four hits with six strikeouts.  The loss drops the Thunderbirds to 0-4 while the Toros improve to 2-4-1.

Southern Utah would trail early as CSUDH put up five quick runs over the first two innings.

In the third, SUU DH Joe Wright would draw and walk, steal second and then advance to third on a Keli’I Zablan single down the left side.  Zablan would be caught stealing, but Wright would score from third in the run down for the Thunderbirds’ lone run of the game.

The Toros would be held scoreless in the third, but put points on the score board in each subsequent inning for the big 14-1 win.

Zablan would collect two of Southern Utah’s five hits, while CSUDH’s Houston Hernandez and Michael Craig would combine for seven hits and six RBI’s in the win.

Game two of the four game series is scheduled to begin tomorrow (2/16) at 2 p.m.

SUN DEVILS SWEEP THUNDERBIRDS IN FINAL GAME OF THE WEEKEND SERIES

Game Three - ASU 23 - SUU 3

TEMPE, Ariz. – Feb. 4 – Southern Utah University Baseball was once again overwhelmed by Arizona State in a 23-3 defeat, allowing the Sun Devils to collect the clean sweep over the weekend.

SUU was shell shocked from the beginning as Arizona State put up 13 runs over the course of the first three innings.  Thunderbird starting pitcher Mac Nelson accounted for all 13 runs, all earned, in 2.2 innings of work.

Southern Utah would score one run in the second, fourth and fifth inning, but was over matched by Arizona State on the weekend, being outscored 61-8.

Jacob Romney would put up the teams’ best stats in the final game, going 3-4 with an RBI.

The Thunderbirds will have a week off before traveling to D-II Cal State Dominquez Hills for a three-games series in Carson, Calif. Feb. 15-17.

BIG INNINGS LEAD TO BIG LOSSES FOR THUNDERBIRDS IN GAMES ONE AND TWO AT ASU

Game Two - ASU 18 - SUU 4
Game One - ASU 20 - SUU 1

TEMPE, Ariz. – Feb. 3 – Southern Utah University Baseball suffered its first defeats of the season with a 20-1 and 18-4 drumming at the hands of the Arizona State Sun Devils on Friday and Saturday in the first of three games between the two schools.

The losses were not what the Thunderbirds hoped for in the opening weekend, but knew the competition would be tough against a nationally ranked opponent.

In the first game, the Sun Devils would score five runs in the first inning and then another nine in the fourth inning as SUU starting pitcher Matt Wilson would give up ten runs over three innings of work in the defeat.

Southern Utah’s lone run in the game would come in the top of the fourth inning as Mac Nelson singled into center field and then turned the hit into a triple on an error.  Two batters later, Chester Wilson would hit a sharp grounder to second and despite being thrown out at first, recorded an RBI as Nelson crossed the plate.

In the second game, SUU would show more offense in putting together four runs over the course of the fifth and sixth inning, but it would be ASU’s 11 runs in the fourth that would ultimately spell doom for the Thunderbirds.

SUU starter Derek Job gave up three hits and a walk in the bottom of the third, opening the flood gates as he and reliever Dustin Wittwer would account for 16 runs (10 earned) over 3.2 innings.

The Thunderbirds would collect three of their four runs in the fifth inning as Robbie Richards drew a walk and advanced to second on a Jacob Romney single.  The bases would be loaded as Bucky Aona reached on an error and Richards and Romney would score two batters later when Keli’i Zablan doubled to right center. Aona would be the final run of the inning as he scored on a sacrifice fly by Mac Nelson in the next at bat.

Southern Utah would add its final run in the sixth as Chester Wilson led off the inning with a double to right field.  Two batters later, Richards would hit a tall fly ball into center, scoring Wilson on the sacrifice fly.

The series between the two schools will conclude Sunday afternoon with Southern Utah looking to rebound from the opening night bruises.