The University of Utah baseball team (7-3) was on the road over the weekend to take on the University of Texas at San Antonio Roadrunners (7-5). The doubleheader that was originally scheduled to be played on Saturday was moved up to Friday due to weather conditions. Utah split the doubleheader, winning the first game 17-3 but dropping game two, 8-3. Saturday’s game was cancelled because of the weather. The Utes resumed play on Sunday where they wrapped up the series with a 7-1 victory.
“We swung the bats well again with the exception of the second game, but we got more innings” said head coach Bill Kinneberg. “We’re getting closer to settling our lineups and guys are getting enough at bats.”
In game one, Utah came out hot. UTSA got on the board first, but the Utes struck back with six runs in the second and third innings. At the top of the second, Hunter Simmons and Josh Rose both singled before Wade Gulden loaded the bases with a walk. An error on Chandler Anderson’s ground ball led to two runs being scored. Zack Moeller then doubled and sent in a run. Oliver Dunn had an RBI single where two runs scored after an error.
In the third, the bases were quickly loaded after Simmons and Rose walked, and Gulden was hit by a pitch. Anderson sent in a run after being walked followed by Moeller who had a single and drove in two runs. Kyle Hoffman and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. were also walked to load the bases again, sending in another run. Dallas Carroll added a run before Simmons put Utah up 12-1 with an RBI single.
Carroll, who led the way for Utah at the plate going 3 for 4 with three RBIs, hit his first home run of the season in the fifth. On the mound, Jayson Rose earned the win after pitching six innings, allowing three runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
In game two, the Roadrunners had a run in the first and seven runs in the second before Moeller hit his first home run of the season to score first for the Utes at the top of the third. Utah did not get on the board again until the seventh inning home run by Simmons, also his first one of the year. In the eighth, Anderson doubled, Moeller was hit by a pitch, and Dunn and Carroll were both walked to send in the Utes last run of the game. Moeller led Utah at the plate with two hits. Chase Bauerle pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, but Jacob Rebar earned the loss on the mound.
“We honestly just didn’t perform offensively or defensively,” Carroll said. “Coach said its kind of hard when you put up numbers like that in the first game to have the same intensity in the second game. It’s a learning point.”
Wrapping up the weekend on Sunday, Utah closed the series strong. Carroll went 4 for 4 at the plate with three RBIs. The Utes struck first in the second inning when Conner McNally, Dunn and Hoffman loaded the bases. Keirsey Jr. was hit by a pitch to send in the first run. Anderson batted in a run before another run was scored on the play because of a throwing error. Carroll singled to send home the last run of the inning.
Keirsey Jr. doubled in the seventh and eighth innings to help Utah on its way to securing insurance runs. In the seventh, with runners on first and third, Carroll batted in Keirsey Jr., which put Utah up 5-1. In the eighth, following Keirsey Jr.’s double, Anderson added a double, which led Keirsey Jr. to score. Carroll had an RBI single up the middle to cap off the Utes runs.
Utah will have its home opener this weekend with a three-game series against the New Mexico State Aggies beginning on Friday at 3 p.m. at Smith’s Ballpark.
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