SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah baseball team came back from a three-run deficit to tie the game and a late rally fell short as No. 2 Stanford pulled ahead for the 6-4 win.
Stanford broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the eighth inning. Utah put two runners on with one out in the bottom of the ninth, scoring a run before the Cardinal closed out the inning.
Josh Lapiana had his best outing of the season for the Utes in the start, striking out a season-high eight batters while allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits over seven innings pitched.
Trenton Stoltz earned the loss after throwing the final two innings, allowing three runs on four hits.
The Utes out-hit the Cardinal, 14-7, but struggled with timely hitting, stranding 11 runners on base throughout the day.
Rykker Tom led Utah with three hits, two runs scored and an RBI while
Dominic Foscalina also had three hits.
DaShawn Keirsey, Jr., and
Oliver Dunn but had two hits for the Utes.
Stanford led 3-0 through the top of the fifth inning before the Utes got on the board in the bottom of the fifth, cutting the lead to 3-2 with two runs. Keirsey led off the inning with a single to right field and Tom followed with a double to left center to score Keirsey from first. After a strikeout and fly out, Braden DeBenedicits sent Tom home with an RBI single.
Utah tied the score at 3-3 with a run in the sixth.
Wade Gulden singled through the right side to lead off the inning and Foscalina beat out a bunt to put two on base.
Matt Richardson sacrificed to move both runners over and set up a sacrifice fly by
Shea Kramer with Gulden beating the throw home to tie the game.
Stanford broke the 3-3 tie with three runs in the top of the eighth inning, scoring three runs on four hits.
The Utes rallied in the ninth with Tom hitting a one-out single and Dunn reaching on an error, putting two on with one out. After a pop up,
Erick Migueles singled up the middle to score Tom before a strikeout ended the rally and the game.
Utah continues at home on Tuesday, May 8, against BYU, beginning at 6:00 p.m. MT.