Utah Takes Nightcap in Doubleheader vs. Washington
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah baseball opened up the ballclub's Pac-12 Conference schedule on Saturday with a doubleheader split vs. Washington at Smith's Ballpark. The Utes were downed by a 6-3 score in 10 innings in game one, but bounced back and claimed a 7-6 win in game two.
The Utes (10-3-1) will look to take the series rubber game in a Sunday, March 13 game. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. MT at Smith's Ballpark. Tickets are available at utahtickets.com/baseball as well as in person on gameday at Smith's Ballpark.
Game 1
Washington 6, Utah 3 (10 innings)
Right-handed ace Matthew Sox retired 15 in a row at one point and had nine strikeouts in his seven-inning start, but the ballclub was later unable to answer a three-run 10th inning in the opener of Saturday's twinbill. Sox's nine K's were his most as a Ute, and one short of tying his career high of 10 which Sox accomplished at Whitman College.
Kai Roberts was 3-for-4 in the two-hole, contributing an RBI double along with a walk. Alex Baeza tripled as well.
Utah answered a Huskies run in the first inning with a pair in the bottom half, before Washington leveled the score at two in the second frame. With both pitchers cruising that score remained until the fifth inning, when Roberts' two-bagger scored Jackson Clemett from second base and gave the Utes a 3-2 advantage. The Huskies tied the score at three-apiece in the seventh and used a three-spot in the top of the 10th to secure the victory.
Ben Kibbe (2-1) worked 2.2 innings and fanned three in the loss, relieving Sox to begin the eighth inning.
Game 2
Utah 7, Washington 6
The Washington offense came out red hot and scored five runs in the first inning to continue where it left off in the 10th inning of game one, but the Utes were unfazed and produced their own five-spot in the fourth inning to even things up at five on the way to the win.
Kai Roberts and Chase Anderson contributed a pair of hits each in the nightcap. It was also a great afternoon to see Zane Skansi's first collegiate hit—a double to lead off the sixth inning—as well as Davis Cop's first double with the Utes.
In the fourth inning, the Utes offense exploded with a crooked number as six Utes reached base. The inning was led off by Chase Anderson's double to right field, his team-leading sixth of the season. After TJ Clarkson pushed Anderson to third via a groundout, Baeza smoked a single into right field, scoring Anderson and putting Utah on the board. The next two batters were walked which set up a three-run triple by Carter Booth making it a 5-4 game.
Pinch hitter Jayden Kiernan then grounded out to the third base, scoring Booth and evening the score at five. Washington would push one across in the top of the fifth to retake the lead, 6-5.
Utah immediately responded with Anderson doubling down the left-field line to start the fifth inning. Both Clarkson and Baeza walked to load the bases, then Richardson was hit by a pitch, tying the score again. With the bases still loaded and nobody out, Cop hit a deep fly ball to right -field, recording a sacrifice fly and scoring Clarkson to give Utah the 7-6 advantage.
Bryson Van Sickle would enter in relief of starter Randon Hostert for Utah, shutting down the Husky offense by only allowing one hit and striking out six batters in 3.1 innings of work. Van Sickle would take the win for the Utes (2-0). Blake Whiting relieved Van Sickle's spectacular outing in the ninth inning, walking one, striking out two, and inducing a fly ball to left field to end the game while earning his third save.