Seattle University created several scoring opportunities, but could not convert on enough of them as Utah Valley earned a 5-2 victory over the Redhawks Saturday afternoon in a Western Athletic Conference baseball game at Bannerwood Park.
Utah Valley (5-17, 1-1 WAC) manufactured its first run of the game when Kade Andrus led off the game with a walk, stole second base, advanced to third on a grounder to the right side of the infield, and scored on another grounder. Seattle U attempted to match the Wolverines when Griffin Andreychuk (Nanaimo, B.C.) led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, but he was thrown out attempting to reach third on a groundball to the shortstop, halting the Redhawk opportunity.
In the top of the third inning, Greyson Bogden led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, reached third on a wild pitch, and scored on a double to left field by Andrus. The Redhawks answered in the bottom of the third inning as Brian Olson (Black Diamond, Wash.) sent a single through the right side of the infield that scored Sheldon Stober (Kent, Wash.).
Wolverine starter Jackson Cofer battled through the first five innings, allowing five hits and four walks but stranding eight Redhawk runners on base. Jake Mayer came on in relief in the sixth inning and promptly walked Brock Carpenter (Milton, Wash.), who advanced to second base on a wild pitch, reached third on a groundout, and scored on a single up the middle by Andreychuk, tying the game at 2-2.
Jake Atkinson led off the seventh inning with a home run over the left field wall. With one out in the eighth inning, Andrus earned his second double of the game and scored on a single by Jordan Schlehuber. Garrett Anderson (Kennewick, Wash.) came on in relief of Redhawk starter Skyler Genger (Kent, Wash.) and allowed consecutive singles to Mark Krueger and Tate Harding, with the Harding single driving in Schlehuber. Janson Junk (Federal Way, Wash.) entered the game and walked Atkinson to load the bases, but he earned a strikeout and a groundout to keep the Redhawks in the game.
Landon Cray (Chimacum, Wash.) led off the ninth inning with a single, and Olson drew a one-out walk off Mayer. Eric Olguin came on in relief and retired the final two Redhawk batters to earn his first save of the year as well as give Mayer his first victory of the season.
Genger took the loss for the Redhawks, giving up six hits and five runs in 7 1/3 innings of work while striking out 10 Wolverine batters. In total, Seattle U stranded 13 runners on base, including six in scoring position.
Seattle University (8-14, 1-1 WAC) will look to win the weekend series against Utah Valley Sunday, March 22, starting at 11 a.m., one hour earlier than originally scheduled due to anticipated weather entering the area later Sunday