Revenge is a dish best served cold, and the Utes finally got some revenge against their arch-rivals.
After a weekend where the team could have stolen a couple of games away from seventh-ranked Washington but lost the series 0-3, Utah had one day to recover before heading to Provo to take in-state rival, BYU.
It wasn’t easy for the Utes, as they needed to, once again, come from behind to capture a win. Erasing a six-run deficit, Utah was able to get past the Cougars in a high-scoring affair Tuesday evening, 12-10.
“It showed some character and competitiveness for us to come back and win,” said head coach Bill Kinneberg in a press release. “Just like Sunday, we could have gone flat and gone away and we didn’t. We had some big at-bats in the seventh inning, and Konnor topped it off with a great swing on a pitch to get us four big ones. Huge win for us after a tough weekend.”
It was even sweeter for the Utes because they avenged their first game in Provo this season, where they lost 20-3. The win brings Utah’s record against the Cougars this season to 1-2.
The Utes struggled early, scoring only three runs in the first six innings compared to BYU’s nine. Once the seventh inning hit, the game completely changed, and Utah connected on an abundance of pitches. The team would register nine runs in the last three innings to seal the win.
Sophomore Bret Helton got the start on the mound and pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs on 11 hits. Senior Josh Chapman came in for relief.
The Cougars had already opened a nice lead by the time Chapman relieved Helton, so good pitching through the rest of the game was vital.
Chapman did not disappoint. He pitched the remaining 5 2/3 innings and allowed just two runs on six hits. He also recorded five strikeouts. Chapman was given the win on the day, raising his record to 3-0 on the year. Kinneberg recognized how well Chapman played and was pleased with his performance.
“Chapman was really the hero with this win,” he said in a press release. “Throwing five innings with a depleted bullpen from Sunday, that was huge for our pitching staff.”
Utah’s hitting exploded in the later innings. Led by senior Konnor Armijo, the Utes racked up 12 hits, which led to all 12 runs.
Armijo went 3-for-5 at the plate, including a grand slam in the seventh inning that brought the Utes back into the game. He totaled six RBIs by the end of the game.
Sophomores Wyler Smith and Kody Davis each went 3-for-5 at bat while senior Cory Hunt also had a good day at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Senior TJ Bennett also got into the mix and drove home a run while going 1-for-3 on the day.
The successful hitting led to a scramble in the Cougars’ bullpen, as they had to use five different pitchers throughout the game.
“It was huge for our team to win this game on the road,” Kinneberg said in a press release.
Utah hit the road this weekend and take on Washington State aiming to improve their Pac-12 record before the season concludes.
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