MESA, Ariz. — Senior Connor O'Brien launched a game tying three-run home run in the eighth before Gavin Rork completed the comeback, helping Seattle U baseball (17-32) to a 9-8 victory over Utah Valley. With the result, the Redhawks avoided elimination and will resume action from Hohokam Stadium tomorrow at 11 am, opponent to be announced.
Trailing 8-2 midway through eight, the Redhawks started to mount a rally with patience at the plate, drawing five consecutive walks to begin the inning. After Grant Hesier and Austin Lively were pushed to cut the deficit in half, Rork came across on sacrifice fly from Shane Jamison to make it 8-5. Following a second out by Utah Valley, O'Brien turned on the 1-1 pitch to launch a 408-foot shot to left-center tying the game at eight-all and giving the Redhawks new life.
Lively then led off the ninth with a single through the left. He was then replaced on the base path by Trevor Antonson, who moved into scoring position on a wild pitch from UVU's Nick Sims. Rork then drove Antonson in for the go-ahead run with a single to left-center, propping a celebration from the Redhawk dugout.
The Redhawks got off to a fast start opening the second day of action by loading the bases with back-to-back hits from Rork and Kyle Sherick before Justin Mazzone was walked. The bats however were unable to push across as the next hitters went down in order.
From there, the Seattle U offense struggled to get runners aboard, going 2-for-10 during the next three innings. During the stretch Austin Lively and Shane Jamison each had a two-out singles in the second and third respectively.
Utah Valley opened the scoring with two unearned runs in the third, before plating four during the fourth.
Down 6-0, Seattle U put itself on the board in the fifth thanks to a RBI single by Julian Kodama. Sherick scored on the played after reaching on a one-out triple, his first since April 7, 2019. The Redhawks eventually left two runners behind as Mazzone drew walk following the hit from Sherick.
Seattle U then pulled another run back in the seventh as Mazzone scored his 30th run of the season, coming across in a single from Kodama, who picked his 19th RBI of the year.
At the plate, Seattle U collectively held a 15-11 advantage in the hit column as five Redhawks had multi-hit performances. Rork, Sherick, Jamison and Lively were each 2-for-4, while Kodama was 2-for-5. Mazzone was 1-for-2 with three walks.
On the bump, Ethan Brown was credited with his first career win after tossing one-inning of relief in the top half of the ninth. Starter Peter Chronowski was given a no-decision after allowing six runs, four earned on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings. Riley Sinclair held the Wolverines at bay as he worked four innings, surrendering two runs on two hits with three strikeouts. Desmond Parisotto also made a relief appearance.