BERKELEY, Calif. – The Utah baseball team played parts of three games on Saturday, April 7 at California, beginning the day with a 7-6 loss in a game continued from Thursday, April 5, winning game two of the series 12-10, and falling 5-1 in game three to close out the series.
DaShawn Keirsey, Jr., was Utah’s top player over the three games, going 7-of-12 (.583) with four RBI, two home runs, two doubles and seven runs scored.
The Utes begin a four-game home stand on Tuesday, April 10, against Utah Valley, followed by a three-game series against UCLA beginning on Friday, April 13.
Game 1
Trailing after seven innings, 7-5, the first game of the series resumed in the eighth. The Utes made it interesting in the top of the ninth, as Keirsey led off the inning with a single. With two outs, Wade Gulden hit an infield single to move Keirsey to third and Davis Delorefice singled up the middle to bring in Keirsey and cut the lead to a run before a strikeout ended the rally.
Keirsey went 3-for-4 with two doubles and four runs scored to lead Utah at the plate in the contest. Delorefice was 3-for-5 with an RBI.
Josh Tedeschi earned the loss in the start on the mound after pitching six innings and allowing six runs (four earned) on eight hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Spencer Kevin Johnson made a brief appearance and Trenton Stoltz threw the final two innings and did not allow a hit with a strikeout.
Game 2
Utah took a 5-0 lead to start the first inning, taking advantage of five walks and a hit batter. The Utes had just one hit in the inning, a two-RBI single by Erick Migueles. Although Cal put up a run in the bottom of the first, a solo home run by Keirsey in the top of the second gave Utah a 6-1 lead.
Leading 6-4 after five innings, the Utes put up six runs in the sixth for a 12-4 lead. Utah had six hits in the inning, including Keirsey’s second home run of the game, a three-run shot. Delorefice hit an RBI single while Matt Richardson hit a two-RBI single in the inning for the Utes.
California rallied back, scoring five runs on four hits in the bottom of the seventh to cut Utah’s lead to 12-9, and adding a run in the bottom of the ninth following an error before Stoltz got two ground outs to end the game.
Keirsey went 3-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored to lead Utah at the plate. Oliver Dunn, Delorefice and Richardson each had two hits.
Tanner Thomas earned his second win of the year on the mound, allowing four runs on 12 hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Justin Kelly pitched three innings, allowing five runs on four hits with four strikeouts while Stoltz picked up his third save of the season throwing the final inning.
Game 3
Utah took a quick 1-0 lead after back-to-back hits from Dunn and Rykker Tom but Cal came back in the bottom of the inning for three runs on three hits to take a 3-1 lead. The Golden Bears took a 4-1 lead in the third with a run off of two hits and added an insurance run in the seventh for a 5-1 advantage.
Utah and Cal each had six hits in the game with Tom going 3-for-4 for half of Utah’s hits. The Utes stranded five on base throughout the contest.
Brett Brocoff pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on six hits with three strikeouts and a walk in the loss. Jacob Rebar did not allow a hit and had two strikeouts in the final 1 2/3 innings pitched.
