Upcoming Event: Baseball versus Vanderbilt on October 10, 2025 at 1 p.m.
1 p.m.
Baseball
vs Vanderbilt
Saturday, March 25
Stanford, CA
3:05 PM
University of Utah
4
at
6
Stanford
Photo by John Lozano / ISIPhotos
Utah Takes No. 9 Stanford to the Wire in 6-4 Series Opening Setback
3/25/2023 7:31 PM | Baseball
Kiernan had a career-high four hits and Cop put the Utes ahead with an eighth-inning homer
STANFORD, Calif. – The Utah baseball team battled No. 9 nationally-ranked Stanford right to the end, but a two-run home run by Drew Bowser in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Cardinal a 6-4 walk-off victory in the teams' series opener on Saturday at Sunken Diamond.
The Utes and the Cardinal will rematch on Sunday with first pitch set for 2:05 p.m. MT at Sunken Diamond.
Catcher Davis Cop was 2-for-3, highlighted by Cop's third home run of the season. It came during the eighth inning and was a two-run shot to put Utah ahead by a 4-3 score.
Jayden Kiernan contributed a 4-for-4 effort for Utah despite the setback, including a career-high hits and an RBI double. Bruer Webster added a 3-for-4 day with a double, with Webster's trio of hits going as his most at Utah.
Despite a no-decision, left-hander Ernesto Lugo-Canchola shined in his first start as a Ute. Lugo-Canchola posted seven strikeouts—his most as a Ute—during his five-inning outing, scattering five hits and three walks on the day. He was responsible for three runs and at one point retired nine straight batters.
Utah used four arms out of the bullpen, in part highlighted with Brady Maylett's 1.1-inning effort. Maylett was clutch in relief for the Utes, coming in when Stanford had a runner in scoring position and ahead by a 3-2 score. He worked out of the sixth unharmed, then worked two strikeouts and a line out when the Cardinal had a runner at third in the seventh. All told, the Utah pitching staff produced 13 strikeouts, the most for Stanford in a Pac-12 Conference game this season.
The home club got on the board in the second inning with a three spot, coming via an RBI double, ground out and a sacrifice fly.
The Utes would counter right away, stringing together a pair of hits after having nobody on base with two outs. Landon Frei won a nine-pitch at bat with a double to left field, then scored when Kiernan laced a two-bagger of his own.
Then in the sixth, Utah pulled within one. Kiernan laced a one-out single, went first to third on Cop's base hit, then scored when Elijha Hammill hustled down the line to beat out a would-be double play ball.
In the seventh, the Utes had a chance to tie the score at three after Webster slid in safely with a one-out double, but Webster would be stranded there at the end of the inning.
But in the eighth, the visitors would pull in front for the first time on Cop's two-run shot. After a Stanford pitching change, Kiernan laced his career-best fourth hit of the game to put the tying run on base. Karson Bodily was summoned to pinch run for Kiernan, then Cop stepped into the box and clubbed the 1-0 pitch into the trees in left field for his third homer of the season and the 4-3 Utah lead.
The advantage would be short-lived, though, as Alberto Rios led off the home half of the frame with a solo home run.
Webster found his way to third base in the top of the ninth, but was again stranded there before Bowser's two-run homer brought the ballgame to a close.
Follow Utah baseball on social media (@utahbaseball).
The Utes and the Cardinal will rematch on Sunday with first pitch set for 2:05 p.m. MT at Sunken Diamond.
Catcher Davis Cop was 2-for-3, highlighted by Cop's third home run of the season. It came during the eighth inning and was a two-run shot to put Utah ahead by a 4-3 score.
Jayden Kiernan contributed a 4-for-4 effort for Utah despite the setback, including a career-high hits and an RBI double. Bruer Webster added a 3-for-4 day with a double, with Webster's trio of hits going as his most at Utah.
Despite a no-decision, left-hander Ernesto Lugo-Canchola shined in his first start as a Ute. Lugo-Canchola posted seven strikeouts—his most as a Ute—during his five-inning outing, scattering five hits and three walks on the day. He was responsible for three runs and at one point retired nine straight batters.
Utah used four arms out of the bullpen, in part highlighted with Brady Maylett's 1.1-inning effort. Maylett was clutch in relief for the Utes, coming in when Stanford had a runner in scoring position and ahead by a 3-2 score. He worked out of the sixth unharmed, then worked two strikeouts and a line out when the Cardinal had a runner at third in the seventh. All told, the Utah pitching staff produced 13 strikeouts, the most for Stanford in a Pac-12 Conference game this season.
The home club got on the board in the second inning with a three spot, coming via an RBI double, ground out and a sacrifice fly.
The Utes would counter right away, stringing together a pair of hits after having nobody on base with two outs. Landon Frei won a nine-pitch at bat with a double to left field, then scored when Kiernan laced a two-bagger of his own.
Then in the sixth, Utah pulled within one. Kiernan laced a one-out single, went first to third on Cop's base hit, then scored when Elijha Hammill hustled down the line to beat out a would-be double play ball.
In the seventh, the Utes had a chance to tie the score at three after Webster slid in safely with a one-out double, but Webster would be stranded there at the end of the inning.
But in the eighth, the visitors would pull in front for the first time on Cop's two-run shot. After a Stanford pitching change, Kiernan laced his career-best fourth hit of the game to put the tying run on base. Karson Bodily was summoned to pinch run for Kiernan, then Cop stepped into the box and clubbed the 1-0 pitch into the trees in left field for his third homer of the season and the 4-3 Utah lead.
The advantage would be short-lived, though, as Alberto Rios led off the home half of the frame with a solo home run.
Webster found his way to third base in the top of the ninth, but was again stranded there before Bowser's two-run homer brought the ballgame to a close.
Follow Utah baseball on social media (@utahbaseball).
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