April 4, 2008

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - Aaron Brady tossed his first career complete game as Utah Valley topped Utah 4-2 on Friday night at Franklin Covey Field. Brady struck out eight and allowed six scattered hits as the Wolverines (6-18-1) have now won two out of three against the Utes (11-14) with the series finale on Saturday at 1pm at Brent Brown Ballpark in Orem.

"I was a little passive early and I wasn't going after guys but I got more comfortable and confident as the game went on," said Brady (2-2), who didn't allow a hit over the final 4 2/3 innings while striking out six over the final three innings. "This was a big win for us this weekend because it sets us up to have a chance to win the series on our home field."

Utah Valley had nine hits on the night with two apiece by Jace Brinkerhoff and Jake Rickenbach while Tyler Garretson drove in two runs. Jesse Shriner had two hits to lead Utah.

For the second straight day, Utah scored a single run in the bottom of the first when Corey Shimada singled to lead off and then scored when Austin Jones doubled on a shallow blooper into center just out of the reach of a diving Scott Croshaw.

Utah starter Brian Budrow (4-2) held the Wolverines scoreless until the top of the fifth when four errors in the inning helped UV to four runs. Budrow himself committed two throwing errors as all four runs that scored were unearned.

Josh Hinckley led off the fifth with a single to left before Kevin Arendse's grounder went through the legs of Shimada at second for the first error of the inning.

Cole Anderson sacrificed the runners over and reached himself when Budrow's throw was wide at first, loading the bases with no outs. Rickenbach's RBI groundout to third tied the game at one before Garretson singled up the middle to plate Arendse and Anderson, giving the Wolverines a 3-1 lead.

Utah Valley scored its fourth run of the inning when Budrow's pick-off throw to first hit Brinkerhoff's helmet, allowing Garretson to score from third.

The Utes cut the lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth when Jones drove home his second run of the day on a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Cody Guymon.

Utah threatened in the six when the first two runners of the inning reached base and were sacrificed to second and third by DC Legg. After intentionally walking Shimada to load the bases, Brady got Guymon and Shriner to ground to Brinkerhoff at third to end the inning without any runs across.

Brady retired the Utes in order in the seventh and eighth before a leadoff walk to Shimada in the ninth brought the tying run to the plate with nobody out. The Pleasant Grove native then recorded back-to-back strikeouts of Guymon and Shriner before hitting Dustin Hennis to put the tying run at first. But Brady got Jones to pop out to Ryan Jones at second base to end the game.