With Seattle U down 8-6, Steve Kirbach (Kirkland, Wash.) led off the eighth inning with his second double of the game, and pinch hitter Josh Kutz (Seattle, Wash.) drew a walk. With one out, Doug Buser (Orinda, Calif.) sent a single into left field to load the bases, with Nate Roberts (Silverdale, Wash.) drawing a walk to force in Kirbach. After a Utah Valley pitching change, Cullen Hendrickson (Auburn, Wash.) was hit by a pitch for the third time in the game, allowing pinch runner Mike Malland (Mukilteo, Wash.) to score the tying run.
Josh Kalalau (University Place, Wash.) bounced a single down the left field line that drove in Buser and Roberts, and Bryndon Ecklund (Elma, Wash.) poked a single up the middle that scored Hendrickson. Sean Narby (Auburn, Wash.) notched a single that again loaded the bases with one out, but Kirbach hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning, but not before the Redhawks had pulled ahead, 11-8.
Bryan Dalton (Vancouver, Wash.) came on to start the ninth inning, but allowed a single by Jace Brinkerhoff to lead off the inning. Brinkerhoff stole second on a strikeout and scored on a single by Goose Kallunki, but Kevin Arendse sent a grounder to Ecklund, who corralled the ball and touched the first base bag for the final out of the inning and the game, ending Seattle U's five-game losing streak.
The Redhawks took the lead in the first inning as Roberts was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on a single by Kalalau, and scored when Kalalau was caught up in a rundown between first and second base. Seattle U added three runs in the second inning, starting with an RBI groundout by Kirbach and concluding with a two-run home run to right field by Phil Parrish (Escalon, Calif.), his first of the season.
Utah Valley (28-17) took its first lead in the fifth inning, as walks by Austin Heaps and Jake Rickenbach were followed by a two-run double by Brinkerhoff. Billy Burgess came up next and smacked a two-run home run to straightaway center field to give the Wolverines a 5-4 lead. That would be the last pitch thrown by Seattle U starter Brandon Kizer (Marysville, Wash.), who lasted 4 2/3 innings and allowed six hits, four walks, and five runs.
After the Wolverines scored once in the top of the sixth, Seattle U responded in the bottom of the sixth, starting with Kirbach's first double of the game. He advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch. Parrish would reach base via a walk and score on Buser's triple to right-center field, tying the game at 6-6.
Utah Valley retook the lead in the seventh inning when Rickenbach reached base on an error and scored on a single by Brinkerhoff. The Wolverines added another run in the eighth inning as Kallunki singled to left-center field, stole second base, advanced to third on an error, and scored on a single up the middle by Rickenbach.
Eric Yardley (Richland, Wash.) earned his first victory of the season, coming on in relief and getting the final out of the eighth inning. Joey Pulitano (Lake Stevens, Wash.) allowed two hits, one walk, and three unearned runs in three innings of work, striking out three Wolverine batters. Sam Armstrong took the loss for Utah Valley, giving up five hits, two walks, and four runs in 1 2/3 innings of work in relief of starter Kyle Beecher.
Kalalau went 3-for-5 with two runs batted in, while Buser, Ecklund, and Kirbach all batted 2-for-5 during the afternoon. Brinkerhoff led the Wolverines offensively, going 4-for-5 with two runs scored and three runs batted in, while Burgess and Kallunki picked up two hits apiece for the visiting team.
Seattle University (8-33) will look to sweep the two-game series from Utah Valley when the two teams meet again Wednesday, May 12, beginning at 12 noon at Bannerwood Park. Max Whieldon (Trabuco Hills, Calif.) is scheduled to start for Seattle University, while Zane Gray is set to take the mound for Utah Valley.