Utah Valley baseball split a Saturday doubleheader with Seattle University at UCCU Ballpark.

UVU (25-23, 15-9) fell in the opening game 11-10 before returning to win the nightcap 7-3 over the Redhawks (14-33, 7-17). Daniel Dickinson and Nate Bach finished 4-for-9 on the day to lead a potent UVU offensive attack.

“That was a great series win for us,” said UVU head coach Eddie Smith. “Robby Butenschoen really stepped up on the mound today after some more great outings from Chase Hennessey.”

The Wolverines jumped on Seattle starter Blake Smith in the first game of the day, tagging him for three early runs. It started with a single by Dickinson before Cole Jordan tripled to make it 1-0. The next hitter for UVU made it 3-0 on a two-run homer from Calyn Halvorson.

The Redhawks didn’t score until the fourth inning when Jake Reed homered to cut the UVU lead to 3-2, and they tied the game in the top of the fifth. The Wolverines quickly answered in the home half after walks to Dickinson and Burke Camper. A throwing error on a pickoff move put both runners in scoring position for Jordan, who lined a double to plate two runs and make it a 5-3 game.

Seattle U kept chipping away and regained the 7-5 lead in the top of the sixth, but UVU once again responded, scoring a run in the sixth inning on a wild pitch, allowing Jayden Smith to hustle home from third base.

The Wolverines got a shutdown inning from Ethan Fowlks in the seventh, and the momentum stayed in UVU’s favor when Camper launched his 18th home run of the season to tie the game at seven. The homer ties Camper with Goose Kallunki for the most home runs in a single season. Kallunki set the record in the 2012 season.

Trailing heading into the bottom of the eighth, Utah Valley had yet another rally in them. Doubles by Matthew Schwarz and Dickinson cut the Redhawk lead to 11-8, and a single from Camper later in the inning made it 11-9. The Wolverines continued their rally in the bottom of the ninth with two outs. Isaac Lovings walked, and Smith singled through the left side before Broussard’s single made it a one-run game at 11-10. The bases were loaded after a walk to Schwarz, but Dickinson’s liner was caught in center for Seattle U to hold on.

Jayden Smith finished 3-for-5 in the game. Jordan finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs, and Camper, Dickinson, Bach, and Schwarz all had two hits.

Utah Valley continued its fast start in the second game. Dickinson singled to start the bottom of the first inning and later scored on a single by Bach to make it 1-0 UVU. Chase Hennessey got in an early groove in his two innings of work. He struck out four consecutive hitters between the last two outs of the first and the start of the second.

Seattle U took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on a two-run single by Brandon Stinnett, but they did not get much off Robby Butenschoen during his career-high five innings of work against the Redhawks. They ended up getting seven hits and three runs against him.

Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth innings, Lovings hit a two-run homer to right field to quickly put UVU in front 3-2. Utah Valley added to its lead in the fifth inning after Iverson was hit, and Smith reached on a fielder’s choice. A clutch single from Broussard moved Smith to third before the Wolverines took advantage of a defensive miscue on an infield popup that was dropped, allowing a run to score.

The top of the lineup scored a run for Seattle U in the seventh after a double and single made it 4-3. They looked to tie the game up in the eighth, but Butenschoen came up with a foul out with runners on first and third and held the one-run lead for the Wolverines.

The offensive took their turn and added much-needed insurance after Dickinson and Jordan were hit by pitches. Bach delivered a three-run homer to make it 7-3. Nick Sims retired the leadoff hitter on a foul out in the ninth and added a strikeout before Ethan Brodsky closed the door on a comeback with a groundout.

Bach finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs in the game two victory with Lovings adding a pair of runs. Hennessey finished with two innings and struck out five of his six outs recorded. Jackson Thomas, Sims, and Brodsky all added scoreless appearances.

The Wolverines host BYU on Tuesday, May 7, at 6:05 p.m. MT. They are looking for their third consecutive win over the Cougars. UVU travels to Tarleton State next weekend for a big WAC series that starts on Friday, May 10, at 2:00 p.m. MT in Stephenville.

Wolverine softball finishes sweep of Utah Tech on Senior Day

Megan Gibbs set the UVU single-season home run record and the Utah Valley pitching staff put up a stellar combined performance to secure a doubleheader and series sweep over Utah Tech, defeating the Trailblazers 9-2 and 4-0 on Senior Day at Wolverine Softball Field.

The team honored their six graduating seniors — student manager D’Mia Moore, OF Laynee Betancur, INF Danyé Albritton, RHP Jorja Barrett, OF Libbie Hawker, and RHP/UTL Halle Morris — with a first pitch ceremony prior to Game 1 and a postgame presentation on the field.

All five players took the field at some point during the doubleheader, including Albritton, who is out for the season with a knee injury. Albritton took part in warmups and took the field with her teammates before exiting to a rousing standing ovation and receiving hugs from all her teammates and coaches.

Gibbs blasted two home runs in the opening game to set and extend the program single-season home run record, and now has a WAC-leading 15 home runs on the season. Gibbs also moved her way closer to another milestone, as she is now just four RBIs away from breaking the single-season record of 52.

“Breaking the record is a huge deal, and to hit 15 home runs is really hard to do,” said head coach Cody Thomson. “I’m proud of the seniors, and how the team played this weekend. You couldn’t ask for a better group of seniors. I can’t wait to see what this team can do!”

The Wolverine pitching staff showed some of its best stuff of the season in this series, holding the Trailblazers to just two runs in three games. The last time Utah Valley held a WAC team to that few runs in a three-game series was back in 2019 when the Wolverines held CSU Bakersfield to two runs in a three-game sweep.

Avery Sapp pitched 5.2 innings in game one, allowing two earned runs and striking out six before giving way to Halle Morris, who pitched the final 1.1 without allowing a baserunner.

Jorja Barrett put up three shutout innings as the starter in game two, allowing just one hit and striking out one. Morris pitched the final four innings to get the win, scattering three hits and striking out three.

The series sweep secures Utah Valley’s best record in WAC play since 2018, when the Wolverines went 10-4 in conference play. The 15-10 mark is also the second-best win percentage in WAC play since joining the league in 2014, and is the most wins in a single WAC campaign.

Utah Valley will now head to Seattle for the WAC Tournament, hosted by Seattle U, as the third seed with a bye into the double elimination portion of the bracket. The Wolverines will face the winner of UT Arlington and Tarleton State at 5 p.m. MT on ESPN+. Follow @UVUSoftball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for updates regarding game times and opponents.

Iguchi earns invite to 2024 PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship

Utah Valley senior golfer Kai Iguchi has been invited to participate in the 2024 PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship, presented by Chase, Kohler and ADT, at TPC Sawgrass, May 6-8, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

Iguchi makes his second straight appearance at the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship after finishing in a tie for sixth at the event last year at Shoal Creek Club in Bessemer, Alabama.

“It’s a special honor to be selected for a second straight year,” said Utah Valley head coach Chris Curran. “To get to play TPC Sawgrass is a dream come true for any golfer. After last year’s finish, I think he’ll have a good chance to contend again.”

The 187-player field consists of 27 teams and 52 individuals representing Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions and other Minority-serving institutions who will compete across five divisions in the 54-hole, stroke-play event.

Iguchi will be playing in the Men’s Individual Division, which will feature 52 competitors representing 39 schools.

Exemptions into Epson Tour and Korn Ferry Tour events will be granted for a fourth consecutive year. The top three finishers and ties in the Individual Division will be eligible to apply for a sponsor exemption into the 2024 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open, a Korn Ferry Tour event taking place June 13-16, at Crestview Country Club in Wichita, Kansas.

NBC Sports will provide live broadcast coverage of the PWCC for the second consecutive year on GOLF Channel, Monday through Wednesday May 6-8 from 3-6 pm ET. PGA.com will stream the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship live throughout all three days of the Championship.

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