Box Score
OREM, Utah --- Utah Valley's Sage Thorpe hit a pinch-hit, solo home run in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Portland Pilots suffered an 8-7 defeat at the hands of the Wolverines on Thursday evening in a non-conference game at Brent Brown Ballpark. Sophomore C Beau Fraser homered and drove in three runs for the Pilots.
While the heart of the Pilots (10-6) lineup struggled offensively, the Wolverines (5-6) 3-4-5 hitters enjoyed a field day, combining to for a 9-14 game with two home runs, four RBI, and seven runs. Junior Chris Dennis allowed all three to reach in the bottom of the ninth but danced out of the bases loaded jam to send the game to extra innings.
Neither team could hold the lead early in the game. After the Pilots drew first blood, the Wolverines responded with three of their own in the bottom of the frame. Fraser’s two-out, bases loaded double tied the game in the second as part of a three-run second for the Pilots. The Wolverines would retaliate with two runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead again.
Portland’s junior flamethrower Zach Varce struck out nine but did not factor in the decision after getting tagged for seven runs, six earned, on nine hits and two walks in six innings of work. The righty also allowed two long balls before exiting. Sophomore Owen Jones pitched a perfect inning of relief striking out two as Dennis pitched two innings, allowing three hits while recording three strikeouts. Sophomore Keeler Brynteson (2-3), the victim of Thorpe’s dinger, fanned the only other batter he faced.
Even though Portland chased starter Kyle Beecher after just two innings, Utah Valley’s pitchers combined to strikeout 15 Pilots on the afternoon, the most the Pilots have whiffed at the plate this season. Freshman Blake Krahenbuhl fanned eight in five innings of relief while sophomore Brian Whatcott added five punch-outs in 2.1 perfect innings out of the bullpen to snap a three game losing streak.
Skipper Chris Sperry turns to sophomore Kyle Kraus (2-0, 5.33) tomorrow in hopes of ending the Pilots four game skid. Kraus faces off against junior Sam Armstrong (1-0, 10.38). First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 PM local time (5:00 PM PST). A link for free live stats can be found on the homepage of PortlandPilots.com.
