Upcoming Event: Baseball versus Vanderbilt on October 10, 2025 at 4 p.m.
4 p.m.
Baseball
vs Vanderbilt
Friday, March 15
Salt Lake City, UT
6:00 PM
University of Utah
11-5, 2-2
5
vs
7
Oregon State
16-1, 1-0
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9
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H
E
Oregon State
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1
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0
0
0
5
7
10
2
Utah
1
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
5
13
1
Photo by: Sophia Kuder/Utah Athletics
Ninth-Inning Surge Lifts No. 3 Oregon State Over Utah Baseball
3/15/2024 10:53 PM | Baseball
Jones strikes out a career-high nine but receives a no-decision
SALT LAKE CITY – Starting pitcher Merit Jones reset his career-high with nine strikeouts—the most by a Ute this season—but No. 3-ranked Oregon State plated five runs in the ninth inning as Utah fell, 7-5, on Friday night in the series opener at Smith's Ballpark.
Utah (11-5, 2-2 Pac-12) led by a 5-2 score after six innings and that lead remained until the ninth, but the Beavers batted around in the ninth with a two-run homer, RBI groundout and two-run single giving the visitors the upper hand.
The Utes brought the tying run to the plate with one out in the home half of the ninth, but a strikeout and fielder's choice brought the ballgame to an end.
It did not take away from a quality start for Jones, the sophomore right-hander who went six innings and allowed just two runs on four hits. He walked five, but countered it with his nine-strikeout performance.
Utah did win the battle in the hit column, tallying 13 on the night and led by a 3-for-5 performance from Kai Roberts. Roberts—who reached base safely for the 15th straight game—doubled twice, had a triple, scored twice and drove in a run. Core Jackson, TJ Clarkson and Karson Bodily also contributed multi-hit efforts while Bodily scored twice in the game.
Roberts (2), Clarkson, Drake Digiorno and Dakota Duffalo combined for five doubles in the game, tying a season-high for the Utes. It was the most doubles for the club in a Pac-12 Conference game since April 29, 2023 vs. Washington State. Roberts now owns nine doubles on the season, tied for second-most in the Pac-12.
The Utes made quick work to break the ice in the first inning. Jackson singled to lead off the frame, was on third after a balk and wild pitch, then scored when Roberts grounded out to the right side. The 1-0 lead remained until the third inning, when Elijah Hainline clubbed one of his two home runs on the night for Oregon State.
Both clubs traded runs throughout the middle innings, with Utah breaking a 2-2 tie and plating three unanswered tallies. Bruer Webster brought in Bodily with a sac fly in the fourth, then Duffalo doubled in the fifth inning on a play that scored Bodily all the way from first base. In the sixth, Clarkson had a two-bagger of his own on the first pitch to score Roberts.
Randon Hostert relieved Jones in the seventh, allowing just a base hit in the inning before returning for a 1-2-3 eighth. Utah had runners in scoring position both in the seventh and eighth innings but was unable to extend the lead.
Hainline brought the Beavers back within a run in the top of the ninth when he sent another long ball over the right field wall. Dallas Macias later grounded out to bring in Micah McDowell with the tying run, before Trent Caraway's single scored a pair to give Oregon State the 7-5 lead.
In the home half of the ninth, Michael Davinni reached for Utah on a one-out infield single, but that was all the Utes could muster.
Micah Ashman (0-1) received the loss for the Utes.
Next Up
Utah returns to Smith's Ballpark on Saturday for the middle game vs. Oregon State. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. MT.
On Saturday, kids are invited to run the bases postgame and meet the Utes for autographs as well. Schedule magnets will be available again for fans who missed them on Friday night.
Buy Your Tickets! | Click Here
Single-game tickets are now on sale for the entirety of Utah's 2024 home schedule at Smith's Ballpark, which features 25 games in total. Season tickets are still available for purchase, but season ticket hats have sold out.
Fans can contact the Utah Athletics Ticket Office via phone with questions at (801) 581-8849.
Follow Utah Baseball
Follow the Utes on social media (@utahbaseball).
Utah (11-5, 2-2 Pac-12) led by a 5-2 score after six innings and that lead remained until the ninth, but the Beavers batted around in the ninth with a two-run homer, RBI groundout and two-run single giving the visitors the upper hand.
The Utes brought the tying run to the plate with one out in the home half of the ninth, but a strikeout and fielder's choice brought the ballgame to an end.
It did not take away from a quality start for Jones, the sophomore right-hander who went six innings and allowed just two runs on four hits. He walked five, but countered it with his nine-strikeout performance.
Utah did win the battle in the hit column, tallying 13 on the night and led by a 3-for-5 performance from Kai Roberts. Roberts—who reached base safely for the 15th straight game—doubled twice, had a triple, scored twice and drove in a run. Core Jackson, TJ Clarkson and Karson Bodily also contributed multi-hit efforts while Bodily scored twice in the game.
Roberts (2), Clarkson, Drake Digiorno and Dakota Duffalo combined for five doubles in the game, tying a season-high for the Utes. It was the most doubles for the club in a Pac-12 Conference game since April 29, 2023 vs. Washington State. Roberts now owns nine doubles on the season, tied for second-most in the Pac-12.
The Utes made quick work to break the ice in the first inning. Jackson singled to lead off the frame, was on third after a balk and wild pitch, then scored when Roberts grounded out to the right side. The 1-0 lead remained until the third inning, when Elijah Hainline clubbed one of his two home runs on the night for Oregon State.
Both clubs traded runs throughout the middle innings, with Utah breaking a 2-2 tie and plating three unanswered tallies. Bruer Webster brought in Bodily with a sac fly in the fourth, then Duffalo doubled in the fifth inning on a play that scored Bodily all the way from first base. In the sixth, Clarkson had a two-bagger of his own on the first pitch to score Roberts.
Randon Hostert relieved Jones in the seventh, allowing just a base hit in the inning before returning for a 1-2-3 eighth. Utah had runners in scoring position both in the seventh and eighth innings but was unable to extend the lead.
Hainline brought the Beavers back within a run in the top of the ninth when he sent another long ball over the right field wall. Dallas Macias later grounded out to bring in Micah McDowell with the tying run, before Trent Caraway's single scored a pair to give Oregon State the 7-5 lead.
In the home half of the ninth, Michael Davinni reached for Utah on a one-out infield single, but that was all the Utes could muster.
Micah Ashman (0-1) received the loss for the Utes.
Next Up
Utah returns to Smith's Ballpark on Saturday for the middle game vs. Oregon State. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. MT.
On Saturday, kids are invited to run the bases postgame and meet the Utes for autographs as well. Schedule magnets will be available again for fans who missed them on Friday night.
Buy Your Tickets! | Click Here
Single-game tickets are now on sale for the entirety of Utah's 2024 home schedule at Smith's Ballpark, which features 25 games in total. Season tickets are still available for purchase, but season ticket hats have sold out.
Fans can contact the Utah Athletics Ticket Office via phone with questions at (801) 581-8849.
Follow Utah Baseball
Follow the Utes on social media (@utahbaseball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Montgomery, Tephen (1-0)
L: Ashman, Micah (0-1)
S: Holmes, Bridger (3)
Batting:
2B: Smith, Tanner 1
HR: Hainline, Elijah 2
RBI: Macias, Dallas 1 ; Caraway, Trent 2 ; Smith, Tanner 1 ; Hainline, Elijah 3
Base Running:
RUNS: McDowell, Micah 1 ; Guerra, Mason 1 ; Santana, Dawson 1 ; Krieg, Jacob 1 ; Smith, Tanner 1 ; Hainline, Elijah 2
HBP: Macias, Dallas 1
PO: Caraway, Trent 1
Batting:
2B: Roberts, Kai 2 ; Clarkson, TJ 1 ; Digiorno, Drake 1 ; Duffalo, Dakota 1
3B: Roberts, Kai 1
RBI: Roberts, Kai 1 ; Quinn, Tyler 1 ; Clarkson, TJ 1 ; Duffalo, Dakota 1 ; Webster, Bruer 1
SH: Davinni, Michael 1
SF: Webster, Bruer 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jackson, Core 1 ; Roberts, Kai 2 ; Bodily, Karson 2
SB: Bodily, Karson 1
HBP: Digiorno, Drake 1 ; Bodily, Karson 1
PO: Digiorno, Drake 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
LHP
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INF
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OF
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RHP
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RHP
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INF
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