Utah Defeats Pepperdine 3-1 in Extra Innings Win

Friday, February 14

Malibu, Calif.

2:30 p.m.

University of Utah

1-0

Pepperdine

0-1

Utah

Pepperdine

Utah Defeats Pepperdine 3-1 in Extra Innings Win

2/14/2025 6:38 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Quinn knocks game-tying homer before driving in go-ahead run in extras

MALIBU, Calif. – The Utah baseball team needed extra innings, but the Utes came away with a 3-1 season-opening win over Pepperdine in 10 innings on Friday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium.

Hitting out of the nine hole, Tyler Quinn came through with two crucial hits and defensively was part of a game-changing double play in the ninth inning.

With Utah trailing 1-0, Quinn led off the top of the sixth with a solo home run to level the score one-all. Then with two outs in the 10^th, he beat out an infield single that scored Austen Roellig, before an error on the play allowed Kaden Carpenter to plate a key insurance run.

Quinn also was the man in the middle of a 3-5-4 double play that was instrumental in forcing extra innings. Pepperdine had runners on first and second with nobody out in a 1-1 game, but Ethan Thomas charged at a bunt then threw to Quinn at third base to retire the lead man. Matt Flaharty was covering first base to complete the twin-killing, before Jackson Elder induced a ground ball from the next batter to end the ninth inning.

Though he didn't factor into the decision, Colter McAnelly delivered a solid opening day start. He dealt six innings of two-hit ball with one walk and four strikeouts. McAnelly also kept his poise after Pepperdine led off the first inning with a solo homer. From that point on, the sophomore right-hander retired 16 of the next 18 batters he faced—just a walk and an error were in the middle of the sequence.

Making his Utah debut, Lucas Boesen kept the pitchers' duel going with two innings out of the bullpen. He worked a 1-2-3 seventh before getting around a two-out double in the eighth, bouncing back with a strikeout looking. Jackson Elder took the Utes home from there, sealing the win with a 1-2-3 bottom of the 10^th.

Heavy rain passed through the Malibu area on Thursday, but the field surface was ready to go today as college baseball season got underway throughout the country.

Flaharty sparked the Utes right out of the gate with a leadoff double to left center field, but was stranded at third base. The game moved along quickly from there, before Quinn's solo shot in the sixth evened up the score at one. Flaharty followed him with a walk and moved into scoring position but was unable to get past second base.

The one-all scored remained until Utah broke the tie in the 10^th. Roellig walked on four pitches to begin the inning and got to third when Carpenter laced a double just inside the left field line. Then with two outs, Quinn sent the 2-2 pitch up the middle. He slid head-first into first base on a single that scored Roellig, before a throwing error allowed Carpenter to come home from third base.

Next Up
Utah and the Waves will play game two of their four-game series on Saturday. First pitch will be at 2 p.m. MT at Eddy D. Field Stadium.

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