’Birds split with Utes

SUU SPORTS INFORMATION

SUU’s baseball team moved to 11-17 on the season after splitting the first two games of its three-game series against in-state rival University of Utah on a windy Monday afternoon in Cedar City.
Tuesday’s game was called because of bad weather.
The Utes (19-21) took advantage of five T-Bird errors in scoring four unearned runs to claim the opener, 4-2, while sophomore outfielder Kurt Elliott rallied SUU with a three-run triple as part of a five-run sixth inning in the T-Birds’ 8-4 victory in the seven-inning nightcap.
In game one, Utah plated two unearned runs in the first two innings, taking advantage of the wind blowing straight in by being aggressive on the basepaths with three stolen bases that set up the two runs. Eric Chevalier, who had five of the Utes 11 stolen bases on the day, drove in the game’s first run with a two-out, RBI-single to right field, while the Utes plated the second run on a two-out throwing error in the T-Bird infield in second inning.
The T-Birds cut the lead in half in the third, scoring one run without the benefit of a hit.
Infielder Chris Mower, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, advanced to second on a sacrifice and took third on a wild pitch before scoring on a Ty Doezie fielder’s choice grounder.
Utah tacked on another unearned run on a wild pitch in the fifth, while Chevalier drove in his second run of the game with a triple to score Matt Ciaramella, who reached on an error to start the inning. SUU pushed across a run in the eighth to cut the lead to 4-2 and had runners and first and second with one out in the ninth, but Ute reliever Jason Price (S, 1) induced a flyout and a strikeout to end the threat.
Utah starter Derek Larsen (4-3) scattered a run on three hits with three strikeouts in five innings to get the win, while T-Bird lefthander Derek Bunker (0-2) was saddled with the loss, striking out three while allowing two unearned runs on four hits in four innings of work.

 

Both teams finished with eight hits, with Chevalier pacing the Utes with three. Senior Aaron Lancaster also had three hits in four at bats to lead SUU offensively.
Lancaster stayed hot from the plate in game two, starting his 3-for-3 effort in the finale with a two-run home run to left field — his third of the season — to spot SUU to a 2-0 first inning lead. SUU added a single run in the second on a Tom Ford groundout to push the advantage to 3-0.
Utah mounted a rally in the fourth, started by a lead-off single by Mike Westfall, who scored on a wild pitch after being driven to third on a Chevalier double. The Utes then loaded the bases on a walk and an HBP and would knot the game at 3-3 with two bases-loaded walks to Matt Anderson and Wick Udy.
Chevalier would strike again in the fifth by reaching on a one-out bunt single, stealing second and scoring on a Jake Jordison double to put the Utes ahead 4-3.
The T-Birds opened their decisive sixth inning with back-to-back singles by Jake Reynolds and Lancaster. With runners at the corners with no outs, Mower laid down a squeeze bunt to score Reynolds, which tied the score at 4 4.
After another sacrifice bunt by Ryan Duvall and an intentional walk to Jona Droubay to load the bases, Elliott drove a Dan Simonsen’s 3-2 pitch to right field, clearing the bases to give SUU the lead back at 7-4. Elliott then scored an insurance run on a Ford groundout and reliever Chris Gardner worked around a two-out SUU error to close the game.
Senior reliever Wes Matthews (W, 2-1) worked 2.2 innings of three-hit relief, allowing one run while striking out three to pick up his second win in as many appearances out of the T-Bird bullpen, Simonsen (0-2) was tagged with the loss after giving up five runs on three hits in three innings of relief. Chevalier and Lancaster again matched three-hit efforts in game two as both teams finished with seven hits apiece. Chevalier also had three stolen bases and two runs scored in the finale.
Reynolds was named Mid-Con Baseball Player of the Week for his efforts in guiding the T-Birds to a 3-2 mark last week.
Reynolds, a 5-foot-10, 165-pound senior from Lugoff, S.C., hit .562 (9-of 16) last week with five extra-base hits, five RBI, seven runs scored and three stolen bases. Reynolds recorded three multi-hit games, including a 3 for-4 effort with two doubles, his 14th-career triple, three runs scored and two RBI in SUU’s 24-8 win over Chicago State last Saturday.