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The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

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Baseball: Utah takes down BYU in rain-shortened contest

The rivalry between Utah and BYU was renewed on the diamond on Tuesday night as the fans were covered up in heavy sweat shirts and blankets with the weather looking like it could have turned south at any moment.

In the baseball team’s second mid-week game of the year, two days after being swept by UCLA, Utah gave all they could and endured a 30-minute delay before the game was eventually called in the sixth inning to overrun the Cougars by a score of 9-3. It was the team’s eighth win on the season, which is already half the amount of wins the team had last season, as its record improves to 8-15.

“It’s too bad the conditions were the way they were,” head coach Bill Kinneberg said. “You never want to end the game after six innings. I feel on that one. I sure liked our team the last three innings offensively.”

Sophomore Dylan Drachler got the nod on the mound and was fairly solid in the opening innings. Through his first four innings, he struck out five batters and given up three runs on six hits. Of those three runs, two of them came off of solo home runs. Drachler would be replaced in the sixth inning by senior Brock Duke.

“Dylan did great,” Kinneberg said. “With their five left-handed hitters, that was important, we try to have a left hander there…I thought he was pretty solid today. For a Tuesday start, to give us five really good innings, that’s wonderful.”

The pressure, like usual, was put on the offense for most of the game. Junior Kody Davis singled in the bottom of the first inning and was eventually able to reach home base to tie the game at one.

After the Cougars took a 3-1 lead, sophomore Hunter Simmons got a hold of a pitch on his way to a triple, all while driving freshman Wade Gulten home to cut the lead to one run in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Simmons wasn’t the only Ute to hit a triple in the fourth as junior AJ Young reached third before being tagged out at home plate off an infield hit. Young and Simmons both ended the game 2-for-3 at bat.

Utah was looking good offensively in the bottom of the fifth inning as they got Davis on third, and sophomore Dallas Carroll on second as the Utes were looking to even things up. They did just that and more as sophomore Max Schuman smashed a single right up the middle, which brought both runners home and alsothe lead as Utah went up 4-3.

The Cougars would get out of the inning without allowing anymore runs.

Duke took the mound in the sixth inning with the Utes still leading by one run and one out. He would strike out the final two batters to get out of the inning.

“It was really nice to come out and execute like we were supposed to,” Max Schuman said. “We really got things running. Our preparation today was really really good. The team was locked in the whole entire time. I knew from the first pitch that, it was going to be a great game for the Utes.”

The ensuing inning, the Utes would load the bases after Davis was hit high with a pitch. The lead then extended to two runs after Scaggari was walked and Gulden advanced on home. However, the scoring wasn’t over there, as Carroll got a hold of a pitch to drive in sophomore Josh Rose to score, pushing the lead to 6-3.

The Utes would add three more runs in the sixth inning when Davis reached home base after Schuman was walked. Young then singled to bring Scaggari home and Utah was able to get one more run on the board before the game was delayed and eventually called.

“You just have to play the game,” Schuman said. “You can’t really worry too much about it. You can’t let it affect you because at the end of the day you have to execute regardless if it’s wet or if it’s dry. You just have to execute. That’s how we win games.”

The Utes will next compete March 27 when Cal comes to town at Smith’s Ballpark.

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@ISmithAtTheU

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