Utes Win Pitching Duel Against Air Force, 2-1

Saturday, March 26

Salt Lake City (Spring Mobile)

1:00 PM

University of Utah

10-9, 4-1

Air Force

12-13, 0-2

Air Force

Utah

3/26/2011 12:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

March 26, 2011

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - Utah pitchers Brock Duke, Kesley Kondo and Tyler Wagner led the Ute baseball team in a 2-1 victory in a pitcher's duel against Air Force on Saturday afternoon.

"We pitched really well," Utah head coach Bill Kinneberg said. "All three really battled. Air Force's Sean Carley has a quality right-handed arm and did a nice job keeping us off balance."

Duke pitched six innings with seven strikeouts and just two walks. He allowed three hits and one run and raised his record to 3-0 on the season. Kondo entered in the seventh, going 2 1/3 innings and striking out five of the eight batters he faced. Wagner got his seventh save of the year after pitching in the ninth inning.

Overall, the three Ute pitchers combined for just three hits and 13 strikeouts. Air Force did not have a hit after the fifth inning.

Carley went all eight innings on the mound for Air Force, striking out eight and allowing two runs on six hits.

Duke walked two in the first inning to start out the game, but got out of the inning after catcher Jo Jo Sharrar gunned down Blair Roberts at second on a stolen base attempt before striking out Alex Bast.

Air Force scored the first run of the game in the third inning on a solo home run from Garrett Custons. The Utes got on the board in the fourth inning. C.J. Cron and Shaun Cooper rallied with two outs for back-to-back hits, Cooper driving in Cron on a single to left.

The Utes had another key defensive play in the fifth inning, as Parker Mayo hit a one-out double and was caught trying to stretch it to a triple. Utah took the lead in the bottom of the fifth, as Trey Nielsen singled up the middle to lead off the inning. He stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Sharrar. With two outs, James Brooks came through with a single through the right side to score what would be the game-winning run.

Nielsen doubled to lead off the seventh inning, but was stranded at third after moving over on a bunt.

Air Force looked to make a rally in the ninth inning. Kondo hit Custons in the back to reach base to lead off the inning. He moved over on a sacrifice bunt. Wagner entered the game for the second-straight day. He struck out Nathan Carter but walked Bast to put two on with two outs, before striking out pinch hitter Seth Kline to win the game and give Utah the win.

Brooks and Nielsen each had two hits for the Utes.

The Utes will go for the series sweep on Sunday, March 27, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Spring Mobile Ballpark. Freshman Ben Mordini will get his first collegiate start on the mound.