Photos by Brigham Berthold
OREM — Down by four runs in the fourth inning, UVU stormed back to beat Indiana State University 9-7 at Brent Brown Ballpark Sunday afternoon.
Logan Hold picked up the win in relief and Trevor Howell and Nick Simmons each homered to guide UVU to the win over the Sycamores.
Paxton Schultz got the start for the Wolverines and was roughed up through four innings. Hold relieved him and allowed two runs over three and a third innings. Ethan Larrison started the game for Indiana State but went just two innings and was one of five Sycamore pitchers used in the series finale.
“Paxton pitched out of some tough situations,” head coach Eric Madsen said. “He obviously didn’t have his best stuff but I was proud of the way he competed and battled for us.”
The Sycamores jumped out to an early lead, as with the first three games of the series, when Tony Rosselli hit a bases-loaded triple to the deep part of the yard in left-center near the 427 feet marker. The hit came with two outs, something that plagued the freshman Schultz in his first career start in Orem, his hometown. Schultz gave up another two-out hit in the third inning, a homer to Clay Dungan to make it 4-0 Sycamores after three innings.
Zac Willis helped get UVU back into the game with a line drive base hit up the middle in the bottom half of the fourth inning. He advanced to second on a passed ball and then the Wolverines caught a break when ISU pitcher Tyler Grauer balked twice, allowing Willis to take third base then home to give UVU its first run of the game. Jackson Overlund, who walked after the first balk scored when Simmons singled to left field, making the score 4-2 Sycamores after four innings.
With two runners on base in the fifth inning, Trevor Peterson, who turned 21 years old Sunday, scorched a ball up the middle to score two runs. Overlund hit a double to right-center field just out of the reach of a diving Chris Ayers to score Peterson and tie the game up at five runs.
UVU third baseman Simmons hit a solo homerun to lead off the sixth inning and a bunt single by Paul Estrada set the table for Howell to hit the second homerun of the frame to give UVU an 8-5 lead.
“I was really proud of Nick. He’s been tough at the plate for us,” said Madsen. “He’s found his way to get into that lineup and stay there. He’s done a great job.”
Overlund was hit on the back by a pitch in the seventh and freshman Skyler Davis knocked him in with a base hit to right field past the first baseman for his first hit and RBI of his collegiate career. Rosselli, who finished the game with three hits and five RBIs, homered in the seventh and hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth to bring the score to 9-7 UVU.
Patrick Wolfe entered the game in the ninth with a two-run lead and held on for the save, his third of the year.
UVU goes on the road for the next 11 games and will face Washington State in the first leg of the trip in Pullman for a four-game set. First pitch Thursday is set for 5 p.m. MST.
