Middle Game Goes to Arizona State in 15-9 Contest

Saturday, March 18

Salt Lake City, UT

4:00 PM

University of Utah

7-11, 1-4

Arizona State

12-7, 2-0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Arizona State	2	5	0	2	0	0	4	0	2	15	18	0
Utah	3	0	2	0	0	0	4	0	0	9	10	1

SEATTLE - The Utah baseball team defeated Washington, 3-0, in a Pac-12 Conference game at Husky Ballpark on March 12, 2023.

Middle Game Goes to Arizona State in 15-9 Contest

3/18/2023 10:43 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Davis Cop now has six hits and seven RBI in the series vs. the Sun Devils

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah's Davis Cop had three hits for the second time in as many days and contributed three RBI, but big innings for Arizona State with five runs in the second inning plus a four-run seventh proved the difference as the Utes fell by a 15-9 score on Saturday at Smith's Ballpark.

Utah (7-11, 1-4 Pac-12) and Arizona State will conclude the three-game series on Sunday at Smith's Ballpark with first pitch at 1 p.m. MT.

Cop's three RBI came via a two-run double in the first inning, before his base hit in the third inning drove in TJ Clarkson. It brings Cop to seven RBI in the series to date, coming off a career-high four RBI with his grand slam on Friday night.

Clarkson added two hits and a pair of RBI as well, extending his reached base streak to 14 consecutive games. Landon Frei returned to second base after missing two games due to injury and DHing Friday's series opener vs. the Sun Devils.

ASU got on the board with a pair of runs in the first inning but Utah quickly answered and took the lead. Cameron Gurney grounded out with the bases loaded to score Elijha Hammill, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Then Cop, the next batter up, doubled into the left field corner to plate Clarkson along with Jayden Kiernan for the 3-2 Utah lead.

Unfortunately for the Utes, the advantage was short-lived as the visitors came back with a five-spot in the second inning and a 7-3 score. Cop would drive in Clarkson a second time with his third inning RBI single before Dakota Duffalo's sac fly brought in Jayden Kiernan, narrowing the deficit to 7-5 after three innings.

The Sun Devils tacked on two more runs in the fourth, extending their lead to 9-5. That score remained until the seventh when the teams traded four-run innings. Entering the bottom half facing a 13-5 deficit, Jake Gish laced a two-run double before a Clarkson single drove in two more runs for Utah. Now trailing 13-9, the Utes had a runner in scoring position and the tying run on deck, but were unable to muster anything more in the seventh.

After a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth, ASU added two more insurance runs in its half of the ninth, then the Sun Devils retired Utah in order to close out the ballgame.

Starter Jaden Harris (0-2) received the loss for Utah.

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