Late Rally Comes Up Short as Utes Fall to ASU, 9-7

Friday, March 17

Provo, UT

5:00 PM

University of Utah

7-10, 1-3

Arizona State University

11-7, 1-0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Arizona State	1	0	1	5	0	1	1	0	0	9	13	3
Utah	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	7	7	2

Photo by: Keller Nienau/Utah Athletics

Late Rally Comes Up Short as Utes Fall to ASU, 9-7

3/17/2023 10:57 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Davis Cop hit his first career grand slam in the series opener

PROVO, Utah – Davis Cop sparked Utah early with his first career grand slam, but a rally in the late innings came up short for the Utes (7-10, 1-3 Pac-12) as the team fell to Arizona State by a 9-7 score on Friday night at Miller Park in the teams' series opener.

The remainder of the series will be played at Smith's Ballpark in Salt Lake City. First pitch on Saturday has been moved to 4 p.m. MT, while Sunday's start time of 1 p.m. remains unchanged from before.

Cop's 3-for-5 night included a career-high four RBI and season-high in hits for the Utes' catcher, while TJ Clarkson doubled and walked to extend his reached base streak to 13 consecutive games. Kai Roberts, Cameron Gurney and Elijha Hammill contributed an RBI each on the night.

The Sun Devils posted a run in their half of the first inning but Cop countered with his grand slam in the home half. After two quick outs to begin the inning, Clarkson reached when a pop up in the infield dropped, allowing him to reach. Jayden Kiernan then hit a laser off the first baseman's glove and Gurney was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Cop then stepped into the batter's box and clubbed the first pitch over the left-center field wall and onto Campus Drive, going on the books as his second home run of the season. The grand slam put Utah ahead at the time, 4-1.

But ASU got one back in the fourth inning and pulled back in front with a five-spot in the fourth. Luke Keaschall added a solo homer in the sixth inning and Nu'u Contrades added an RBI double in the seventh, pushing the visitors' lead to 9-4.

Utah began its rally effort in the eighth, loading the bases with one out. Pinch hitter Elijha Hammill was hit by a pitch to score Gurney and now bring the tying run to the plate. Roberts later beat out a would-be double play ball to extend the inning and score Cop with Utah's sixth run. But that was all for the Utes in that inning, stranding runners at the corners.

Clarkson led off the ninth as the first batter faced by ASU's Jesse Wainscott in what had suddenly become a save situation. Clarkson put the 1-1 pitch into the gap in left center for a leadoff double, took third on a groundout and scored when Gurney lifted a sac fly into left field. Cop then doubled to again put the tying run the plate, but the Sun Devils would close it out from there.

Cam Day (2-3) took the loss for Utah on a five-strikeout night. Southpaw Ernesto Lugo-Canchola dealt three innings of relief with three punchouts, while Bransen Kuehl and Brady Maylett also saw time out of the bullpen.

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