Utes Get Split With Mavericks

Tuesday, March 27

Salt Lake City (DH)

12:00 PM MT

University of Utah

Mesa State

3/28/2001 12:00 AM | Baseball

March 28, 2001

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah baseball team managed to split a double-header with the Mesa State Mavericks on Tuesday. Mesa State (19-11) jumped on the Utes (17-13) in game one, taking the contest 17-8. Utah responded in game two with a 6-2 win.

Game one was an offensive show by the Mavericks. They scored six times in the first inning and added four more in the second. The Utes kept it close, trailing 10-6 after two innings, but never got closer. The Utes had a chance to get even in the fourth. With the bases loaded and one out Sam Swenson struck out and Mike Westfall flew out to right field. Mesa State then put four runs on the board in the fifth to blow the game wide open.

Donnie Saba led the Utes in game one with a 2-for-3 game. He scored twice and drove in two more to go along with a triple and a homer. Sam Swenson also had two hits, both home runs giving him a team-leading nine on the season.

Starting pitcher Sean Overholt (0-1) went just 1.2 innings on his way to his first loss of the season. He allowed 10 runs (four earned) on 12 hits. All four Ute pitchers allowed at least two runs in the game.

Game two saw Ute starter David Ebright (2-0) dominate the Mavericks. Ebright held Mesa State to just two earned runs on six hits in 6.1 innings of work. Benson Barrera relieved Ebright in the seventh with the bases loaded and one out. He then proceeded to strike out the next two hitters, getting Utah out of a jam. Barrera finished with five strike outs in 2.2 innings of work while not allowing a hit and walking only one.

Chris Shelton provided the offense with his ninth homer of the season and fourth in five games. He finished with three hits, two runs and two RBI. Shelton was a triple away from hitting for the cycle. Brit Pannier was 3-for-3 with a run scored and one driven in.

Utah now heads for San Diego State to resume conference play. The Utes currently leads the Mountain West Conference with their 6-3 conference record.