Upcoming Event: Baseball versus Vanderbilt on October 10, 2025 at 4 p.m.
4 p.m.
Baseball
vs Vanderbilt
Saturday, April 9
Salt Lake City, UT
2:00 PM
University of Utah
3
vs
4
UCLA
Photo by: Bayleigh Schroeder
Utes Fall in 4-3 Heartbreaker vs. No. 15 UCLA
4/9/2022 6:55 PM | Baseball
Utah had the tying run at third base with one out in the ninth inning
SALT LAKE CITY – For the second straight game, Utah battled to the wire with No. 15 nationally-ranked UCLA, but in the end the Utes stranded the tying run at third base in a 4-3 ballgame on Saturday at Smith's Ballpark. Both games in the series thus far have been decided by one run.
Needing just one run to finish a comeback from 4-1 down, the Utes (17-13-1, 4-7 Pac-12) had the top of the order due up in the ninth inning. Leadoff man Kai Roberts won an eight-pitch at bat with a single up the middle, before Landon Frei followed with a walk. Chase Anderson then laid down a well-placed sacrifice bunt that moved both runners into scoring position with just one out.
UCLA elected to pitch to cleanup hitter TJ Clarkson and was able to get Clarkson on a strikeout, before issuing an intentional walk to Jayden Kiernan which loaded the bases with two away. Alex Baeza stepped into the batter's box and sent a high fly ball toward the gap in right center, bringing a roar from the crowd, but Bruins center fielder Carson Yates made a running catch on the edge of the warning track for the loud out to end the ballgame.
Baeza (3-for-5) and Frei (2-for-4) tallied multi-hit efforts despite the loss, with Baeza logging a double in the game. Matt Richardson had an RBI and pinch hitter Davis Cop had an RBI single in the sixth inning, later remaining in the game at catcher.
Clarkson singled and scored a run, reaching base safely for the 29th straight game and Roberts extended his respective streak to 23 straight. Cop's pinch-hit knock extended his hitting streak to eight straight games.
Utah starting pitcher Jaden Harris (1-1) was on the mound for 4.2 innings in the start, allowing four runs on six hits and a walk. Harris struck out a career-high seven batters in his outing, the most strikeouts by a Utah freshman this season. David Watson was clutch out of the bullpen in the middle innings, dealing 3.1 innings of shutout relief and allowing just a pair of hits against three K's.
The Utes were once again on the board first on Saturday, putting runners on the corners in the second inning. That set the stage for a balk that awarded Clarkson the 90-foot trot to home plate.
UCLA posted a pair of runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to take a 4-1 lead. In the sixth, Cop was called upon to pinch hit with two outs and Kiernan on second base. He sent the 2-1 pitch through the left side, allowing Kiernan to come sliding into home plate and cut the deficit to 4-2.
Then, in the bottom of the eighth, the Utes tallied one more run aided by patience at the plate. Leading off the inning, Kiernan fell behind 0-2 in the count before taking three straight balls, fouling off four straight pitches and taking on the 10th pitch for a walk. He came into third when Baeza doubled to deep right field, and scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of Richardson to move the score to 4-3. Still on second base, Baeza carried the tying run, but was ultimately stranded.
Two incredible plays for Utah in the top of the ninth kept the score within one run. Jake Palmer walked to begin the frame but was caught leaning at first base on a snap throw from Cop down to Baeza. Anderson also came up with a fantastic diving stop at third base—while an out wasn't recorded on the play, Anderson kept the ball from getting into the outfield, a significant note given that there was a Bruin on base late in a one-run game. Anderson continues to show tremendous hustle at the hot corner, with a growing reputation of impacting the game with his glove.
Utah will close out its three-game series with the Bruins on Sunday, April 10 in a 1 p.m. MT game from Smith's Ballpark.
Follow Utah baseball on social media (@utahbaseball).
Needing just one run to finish a comeback from 4-1 down, the Utes (17-13-1, 4-7 Pac-12) had the top of the order due up in the ninth inning. Leadoff man Kai Roberts won an eight-pitch at bat with a single up the middle, before Landon Frei followed with a walk. Chase Anderson then laid down a well-placed sacrifice bunt that moved both runners into scoring position with just one out.
UCLA elected to pitch to cleanup hitter TJ Clarkson and was able to get Clarkson on a strikeout, before issuing an intentional walk to Jayden Kiernan which loaded the bases with two away. Alex Baeza stepped into the batter's box and sent a high fly ball toward the gap in right center, bringing a roar from the crowd, but Bruins center fielder Carson Yates made a running catch on the edge of the warning track for the loud out to end the ballgame.
Baeza (3-for-5) and Frei (2-for-4) tallied multi-hit efforts despite the loss, with Baeza logging a double in the game. Matt Richardson had an RBI and pinch hitter Davis Cop had an RBI single in the sixth inning, later remaining in the game at catcher.
Clarkson singled and scored a run, reaching base safely for the 29th straight game and Roberts extended his respective streak to 23 straight. Cop's pinch-hit knock extended his hitting streak to eight straight games.
Utah starting pitcher Jaden Harris (1-1) was on the mound for 4.2 innings in the start, allowing four runs on six hits and a walk. Harris struck out a career-high seven batters in his outing, the most strikeouts by a Utah freshman this season. David Watson was clutch out of the bullpen in the middle innings, dealing 3.1 innings of shutout relief and allowing just a pair of hits against three K's.
The Utes were once again on the board first on Saturday, putting runners on the corners in the second inning. That set the stage for a balk that awarded Clarkson the 90-foot trot to home plate.
UCLA posted a pair of runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to take a 4-1 lead. In the sixth, Cop was called upon to pinch hit with two outs and Kiernan on second base. He sent the 2-1 pitch through the left side, allowing Kiernan to come sliding into home plate and cut the deficit to 4-2.
Then, in the bottom of the eighth, the Utes tallied one more run aided by patience at the plate. Leading off the inning, Kiernan fell behind 0-2 in the count before taking three straight balls, fouling off four straight pitches and taking on the 10th pitch for a walk. He came into third when Baeza doubled to deep right field, and scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of Richardson to move the score to 4-3. Still on second base, Baeza carried the tying run, but was ultimately stranded.
Two incredible plays for Utah in the top of the ninth kept the score within one run. Jake Palmer walked to begin the frame but was caught leaning at first base on a snap throw from Cop down to Baeza. Anderson also came up with a fantastic diving stop at third base—while an out wasn't recorded on the play, Anderson kept the ball from getting into the outfield, a significant note given that there was a Bruin on base late in a one-run game. Anderson continues to show tremendous hustle at the hot corner, with a growing reputation of impacting the game with his glove.
Utah will close out its three-game series with the Bruins on Sunday, April 10 in a 1 p.m. MT game from Smith's Ballpark.
Follow Utah baseball on social media (@utahbaseball).
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