Friday, April 8
Salt Lake City, UT
6:00 PM
University of Utah
17-12-1, 4-6
5
vs
6
UCLA
21-8, 7-3
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 0 |
| Utah | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 2 |
Photo by: Bryan Byerly
Utah Baseball Battles into Extra Innings vs. No. 15 UCLA
4/8/2022 11:44 PM | Baseball
Utes carry lead late, but fall in 10 innings by a 6-5 score
SALT LAKE CITY – Facing a nationally-ranked opponent for the first time this season, the Utah baseball team had a 5-1 lead on No. 15 UCLA after six innings, but the Bruins rallied to level the score and ultimately broke the tie in the 10th on the way to a 6-5 final on Friday night at Smith's Ballpark.
The Utes (17-12-1, 4-6 Pac-12) had five extra base hits in the loss, including a two-run home run for shortstop Matt Richardson, his second of the season. Richardson was 2-for-5 with three RBI, left fielder TJ Clarkson was 2-for-4 with both a double and triple in the game and designated hitter Jayden Kiernan was 2-for-5 driving in a run.
Clarkson reached base for the 28th straight game, the longest active streak by a Ute and third-longest active streak in the Pac-12. Right fielder Kai Roberts, returning to the lineup after missing a brief stretch due to injury, reached safely for the 22nd consecutive contest via a triple. Davis Cop additionally had a hit for the fifth straight game.
Right-handed ace Matthew Sox tossed 6.1 innings of two-run ball in the start, scattering eight hits, one walk and striking out four batters. UCLA reached the leadoff man just once in Sox's outing, which saw Sox receive a no-decision. Blake Whiting (2-1) was hooked with the loss.
Utah took a 1-0 lead in the Utes' half of the second inning. Kiernan led off with a first-pitch single, moved into scoring position on Cop's sac bunt, and came around when Richardson delivered a single that hopped off the pitcher's mound into center field. The Bruins would answer with a run in the third inning.
A three-spot for the home club returned the lead to the Utes in the fourth frame. Clarkson led off with a triple into the corner in right field, coming 90 feet home when Kiernan went opposite field for a single. Three batters later, Richardson clubbed the 2-1 pitch deep onto the hill in left-center field, escaping the glove of UCLA left fielder Kenny Oyama and giving the Utes a 4-1 cushion.
An insurance run came across for the Utes in the fifth, as Roberts led off with a triple that hit off the top of the center field wall, directly below the Smith's Ballpark batter's eye. He scored on Landon Frei's RBI groundout, moving the score to 5-1 in favor of Utah.
The Bruins got one back in the seventh, when the lineup turned over to leadoff hitter Cody Schrier, who homered down the left field line. Sox was lifted at that point in line for the win and exited to a nice ovation from the Utah faithful.
But UCLA continued to claw back, equalizing in the eighth. A two-run single by Josh Hahn brought the squad within one, then pinch hitter Daylen Reyes tied things up with a sac fly.
Things looked promising for Utah in the bottom of the ninth, putting runners in scoring position with just one out. Carter Booth was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, Roberts laid down a bunt that saw everyone reach safely, then Frei moved the pair to second and third with a well-placed sacrifice bunt. Clarkson was issued an intentional walk along the way to load the bases, but Utah was unable to get that elusive winning run across the plate.
In the 10th, Carson Yates led off for UCLA with a double, moved up on a sac bunt and scored on a wild pitch with what proved to be the difference in the ballgame.
Utah will look to even its Pac-12 series with the Bruins in a Saturday, April 9 game at Smith's Ballpark, with first pitch slated for 2 p.m. MT.
Follow Utah baseball on social media (@utahbaseball).
The Utes (17-12-1, 4-6 Pac-12) had five extra base hits in the loss, including a two-run home run for shortstop Matt Richardson, his second of the season. Richardson was 2-for-5 with three RBI, left fielder TJ Clarkson was 2-for-4 with both a double and triple in the game and designated hitter Jayden Kiernan was 2-for-5 driving in a run.
Clarkson reached base for the 28th straight game, the longest active streak by a Ute and third-longest active streak in the Pac-12. Right fielder Kai Roberts, returning to the lineup after missing a brief stretch due to injury, reached safely for the 22nd consecutive contest via a triple. Davis Cop additionally had a hit for the fifth straight game.
Right-handed ace Matthew Sox tossed 6.1 innings of two-run ball in the start, scattering eight hits, one walk and striking out four batters. UCLA reached the leadoff man just once in Sox's outing, which saw Sox receive a no-decision. Blake Whiting (2-1) was hooked with the loss.
Utah took a 1-0 lead in the Utes' half of the second inning. Kiernan led off with a first-pitch single, moved into scoring position on Cop's sac bunt, and came around when Richardson delivered a single that hopped off the pitcher's mound into center field. The Bruins would answer with a run in the third inning.
A three-spot for the home club returned the lead to the Utes in the fourth frame. Clarkson led off with a triple into the corner in right field, coming 90 feet home when Kiernan went opposite field for a single. Three batters later, Richardson clubbed the 2-1 pitch deep onto the hill in left-center field, escaping the glove of UCLA left fielder Kenny Oyama and giving the Utes a 4-1 cushion.
An insurance run came across for the Utes in the fifth, as Roberts led off with a triple that hit off the top of the center field wall, directly below the Smith's Ballpark batter's eye. He scored on Landon Frei's RBI groundout, moving the score to 5-1 in favor of Utah.
The Bruins got one back in the seventh, when the lineup turned over to leadoff hitter Cody Schrier, who homered down the left field line. Sox was lifted at that point in line for the win and exited to a nice ovation from the Utah faithful.
But UCLA continued to claw back, equalizing in the eighth. A two-run single by Josh Hahn brought the squad within one, then pinch hitter Daylen Reyes tied things up with a sac fly.
Things looked promising for Utah in the bottom of the ninth, putting runners in scoring position with just one out. Carter Booth was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, Roberts laid down a bunt that saw everyone reach safely, then Frei moved the pair to second and third with a well-placed sacrifice bunt. Clarkson was issued an intentional walk along the way to load the bases, but Utah was unable to get that elusive winning run across the plate.
In the 10th, Carson Yates led off for UCLA with a double, moved up on a sac bunt and scored on a wild pitch with what proved to be the difference in the ballgame.
Utah will look to even its Pac-12 series with the Bruins in a Saturday, April 9 game at Smith's Ballpark, with first pitch slated for 2 p.m. MT.
Follow Utah baseball on social media (@utahbaseball).
Players Mentioned
OF
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LHP/1B
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C/INF
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INF
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C
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INF
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OF
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RHP
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RHP
/ BaseballTeam Stats
Pitching:
W: Austin, Kelly (2-1)
L: Whiting, Blake (2-1)
Batting:
2B: Gourson, Ethan 1 ; Yates, Carson 1
HR: Schrier, Cody 1
RBI: Schrier, Cody 1 ; Gourson, Ethan 1 ; Hahn, Josh 2 ; Reyes, Daylen 1
SH: Oyama, Kenny 1
SF: Reyes, Daylen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Schrier, Cody 2 ; Curialle, Michael 1 ; Yates, Carson 2 ; Oyama, Kenny 1
SB: Oyama, Kenny 1
HBP: Oyama, Kenny 1
Batting:
2B: Frei, Landon 1 ; Clarkson, TJ 1
3B: Roberts, Kai 1 ; Clarkson, TJ 1
HR: Richardson, Matt 1
RBI: Frei, Landon 1 ; Kiernan, Jayden 1 ; Richardson, Matt 3
SH: Roberts, Kai 1 ; Frei, Landon 1 ; Cop, Davis 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Roberts, Kai 1 ; Clarkson, TJ 1 ; Kiernan, Jayden 1 ; Cop, Davis 1 ; Richardson, Matt 1
HBP: Cop, Davis 1 ; Booth, Carter 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
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