Box Score
CORVALLIS, Ore. --- Portland pitchers Zach Varce and Chris Dennis combined to hold Utah to just one run on six hits and junior OF Craig Smith scored twice as the Pilots topped the Utes 4-1 at the Oregon State Spring Tournament on Saturday morning at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field. It’s the fourth straight win for the Pilots, who become just the second UP team since 1955 to open a season with a 10-2 record.
The Pilots opened 1958 at 10-2 and would run their record to 16-2 for the program’s best start since at least the 1955 season. UP started its baseball program in 1923, but the school’s baseball records and archives get a bit spotty prior to 1955.
On Saturday, the Pilots spotted Utah (6-6) a one-run lead before answering with four unanswered runs. After the Utes took a 1-0 advantage in the top of the third inning, Portland junior OF Tyler Thompson opened the bottom of the frame with a lead-off single. He then worked his way to third after a ground-out and a single by Smith. Thompson then trotted home with the tying run after Utah starter Jordan Whatcott was called for a balk.
Smith also moved over to second base on the balk before the team leader in steals swiped third base. Junior 2B Riley Henricks then rewarded him for the effort by bringing him home with the go-ahead run on an RBI ground-out that gave UP its first lead of the morning at 2-1.
The two runs were more than enough for the starter Varce, who improves to 2-1 on the year. Varce, a right-handed junior, struck out six while working 8.0 innings. He held the Utes to just the one run on five hits and two walks. Utah’s lone tally came on a sacrifice fly in the top of the third.
Dennis, a junior transfer, then pitched a scoreless ninth for his WCC-leading fourth save of the year. The right-handed Dennis, who has also registered two wins, has a positive decision during all six of his appearances for the Pilots. He did surrender a one-out double to Devin Walker in the ninth, but the runner was wiped out on a game-ending double play a batter later. Walker’s pinch runner, Josh Reed, strayed a little too far off the base when Nik Gumeson flied out to left.
Whatcott (1-3) picks up the loss for Utah, despite a fairly solid outing. He lasted 7.0 innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked two.
The Pilots added a little insurance with two runs off of new Utah pitcher Brock Duke in the bottom of the eighth inning. Smith led off with a single, moved over to second base on a passed ball and headed to third on a sacrifice bunt by Henricks. He then eased home on a Utah fielding error. Then with sophomore C Beau Fraser on second base, senior 1B C.J. Cullen made it a 4-1 UP lead with an RBI single up the middle.
Cullen has been unconscious this season, registering two more hits on Saturday to up his batting average to .457. Smith also had two of Portland’s seven hits.
Each team committed one error.
The Pilots next set their sights on the tournament host and 12th-ranked Oregon State Beavers at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday night. The Pilots conclude their stay in Corvallis with an 11:00 a.m. game on Sunday against the Utes and a 3:00 p.m. tilt against the Beavers.
Saturday’s game against Utah was originally scheduled for Friday afternoon, but was moved due to wet conditions at Coleman Field.
