Two-Out Hitting Keys Utah’s 10-9 Series-Opening Victory over Cougars

Friday, April 1

Pullman, WA

4:05 PM

University of Utah

16-9-1, 3-4

Washington State

9-16, 1-9

Utah

Washington State

Photo by: Shelly Hanks - WSU Athletics

Two-Out Hitting Keys Utah’s 10-9 Series-Opening Victory over Cougars

4/1/2022 9:34 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Seven of Utes’ 10 runs came with two away; team was 10-for-18 in two-out situations

PULLMAN, Wash. – Four different Utah players recorded multi-hit performances and the Utes scored seven runs with two outs—finishing 10-for-18 in those situations—on the way to a 10-9 victory on Friday at Washington State's Bailey-Brayton Field to open a three-game series.

Dakota Duffalo (3-for-5), working out of the nine-hole, had his first career three-hit game with two singles, a homer, two RBI and scored twice in the win for Utah (16-9-1, 3-4 Pac-12). Leadoff man Landon Frei was 3-for-4 with a double, walk and two runs scored. Carter Booth doubled and homered for a career-high four RBI, and Alex Baeza singled, homered and scored twice en route to a three-RBI night.

Micah Ashman (1-0) picked up his first collegiate victory on the mound, throwing 1.2 innings of scoreless relief with just two hits allowed and a strikeout. Ben Kibbe came on with one out in the ninth inning and closed the door for his second save of the season.

After spotting WSU a run in the bottom of the first, Utah clubbed three home runs in a second inning that saw the team plate six runs on five hits. It was the first three-homer inning for the Utes in a Pac-12 game and first since the 2010 season.

TJ Clarkson was hit by a pitch to lead off the second, then Jayden Kiernan doubled to the gap in right center field to put Clarkson on third. Baeza then sent a no-doubter over the right field wall on a 2-2 pitch, his third of the season and giving the Utes a 3-1 lead. A pair of ground outs followed, before Duffalo turned on one for his second dinger of the season. Next, Frei sent a deep ball that had potential to leave Bailey-Brayton Field, but it came down just before the left field scoreboard and gave Frei a stand-up double. Booth promptly stepped up and hit a two-run jack to left, his third of the year to push the Utah advantage to 6-1.

The Cougars would claw back, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the second, following up with one run in both the third and fourth innings to cut the Utes' lead to 6-5.

Utah added an insurance run in the sixth inning, thanks again to well-executed two-out hitting. Baeza was hit by the 2-2 pitch beginning the frame, moved up 90 feet on a ground out and ultimately came around on a base hit for Duffalo.

More two-out hitting allowed the Utes to pad the lead to 9-5 in the eighth inning. After the first two batters were retired, Duffalo singled and Frei walked, setting the stage for Booth to lace a two-run double that rolled to the wall in left center, emptying the bases. Davis Cop added an RBI single in the ninth inning to score Clarkson and swell the advantage to 10-5.

Washington State wasn't done though, as the Cougars put up a four-spot in the ninth and had the tying run on second base with one out. Entering for what had suddenly become a save situation, Kibbe worked a fly ball, then followed with a game-ending strikeout to secure the Utah victory.

Utah will rematch with the Cougars on Saturday, April 2 in a game beginning at 3:05 p.m. MT from Bailey-Brayton Field.

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