PORTLAND, Ore.- The University of Portland baseball team committed three costly errors, allowing eight unearned runs to Utah Valley State in an 11-8 loss Wednesday afternoon at Pilot Stadium. Portland (3-18) took a one-run lead with four runs in the fourth inning, but gave up seven runs in the last two frames as the Wolverines (5-9) extended their winning streak to three games. Freshman shortstop Jesse Rodgers had drove in four runs for the Pilots, who have now lost seven straight contests.
UVSC struck first with their first two unearned runs of the game in the second inning. After a dropped fly ball, Jeremy Harris brought home Reno Mendenhall with a groundout to second and Jeff Broadhead then hit an RBI single to left field. The Wolverines added another run in the fourth before the Pilots took the lead in the bottom half of the inning with a four run two-out rally.
Travis Vetters singled to start the comeback and Joe Watson blasted a line-drive double into the left-center gap scoring Vetters. Trevor Hahn and Colton Homme drew back-to-back walks and Rodgers cleared the bases with a double down the left field line. UVSC didn’t take long to respond, tying the game at 4-4 after Ryan K. Jones doubled and scored on Trent Perry’s sacrifice fly.
The Pilots took the lead again in the seventh as Jeffrey Crinklaw singled to left field with two outs. Vetters was running on the pitch from first base and slid into third safely as the errant throw went into Portland’s dugout, allowing him to score and giving UP a 5-4 edge.
The Wolverines took advantage of more Pilot miscues with four unearned runs in the eight inning to gain an 8-4 advantage. Rodgers had a throwing error and bobbled a grounder, extending the inning and forcing Pilot head coach Chris Sperry to pull senior starter Kyle Corra after recording the first out. Freshman right-hander Sean Sargent came on in relief to record the other two outs, but not before UVSC took a three-run lead.
The Pilots had another comeback in order after Watson doubled and Hahn singled to lead off the eighth, but ran into some tough luck as Colton Homme ripped a line-drive right at Wolverine pitcher Jason Ward. Ward managed to cradle the liner with his stomach and glove for the first out of the frame and went on to allow just one run in a potentially big inning.
Brian Cox started the ninth for Portland and allowed three runs (one earned) as another error, this time by Vetters at third, haunted the Pilots. Left-hander Andrew Renyer recorded the final out of the inning. Portland got a two-run towering home run from Crinklaw in the ninth, making it an 11-8 final.
Ward (2-2) earned his second win of the season after tossing eight innings, giving up six runs, five earned and striking out four. Corra (0-2) went 7.1 innings allowing just two earned runs, seven total runs, and struck out three batters.
Josh Hinckley had three hits for the Wolverines, while Harris was 2-for-5 with three RBI. Rodgers did some damage at the plate for Portland, going 2-for-4 with a double, triple and four RBI. Crinklaw was 2-for-5 with the dinger and two runs driven in, while Watson finished 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles, two runs and an RBI.
The Pilots return to Pilot Stadium for a three-game West Coast Conference series against the Pepperdine Waves this weekend. Friday’s game is set for 2:00 p.m., while Saturday and Sunday have 1:00 p.m. start times.
