Utah Valley, Sam Houston Advance To Championship Showdown At The 2023 University Credit Union WAC Baseball Tournament
Utah Valley, Sam Houston Advance To Championship Showdown At The 2023 University Credit Union WAC Baseball Tournament
MESA, Ariz. – No. 3 Utah Valley emerged from the winners’ bracket as the only undefeated team in the field, while No. 2 Sam Houston lit up the scoreboard in back-to-back dominant showing to set the stage for a championship clash on Friday at the 2023 University Credit Union WAC Baseball Tournament at Hohokam Stadium.
Sam Houston dispatched No. 5 Abilene Christian 17-10 in the first elimination game of Friday and then bounced back with a 22-8 drubbing to eliminate No. 1 Grand Canyon. Utah Valley punched its championship ticket with a 16-0 win in seven innings against upstart No. 6 seed UT Arlington.
The 2023 University Credit Union WAC Baseball Tournament concludes with Utah Valley and Sam Houston battling on Saturday at 3 p.m. MST at Hohokam Stadium. The ‘if necessary’ game if Sam Houston downs Utah Valley would start at 7 p.m. MST, with both games airing on ESPN+.
Game 11 – No. 2 Sam Houston 17, No. 5 Abilene Christian 10 | Box Score
Neither Sam Houston nor Abilene Christian wanted to go home in the first elimination game of the day, as a four-hour showing yielded 27 runs on 30 hits before Sam Houston escaped with a 17-10 triumph to advance in the elimination bracket to top-seeded Grand Canyon. The Bearkats ripped 17 hits but still managed to leave 11 men on the pond in the game.
Walker Janek turned in a 4-for-6 showing with four RBI in the win for Sam Houston, while Justin Wishkoski went yard on the way to three RBI and five runs scored for the Bearkats. Clayton Chadwick chipped in four RBI and Joe Redfield scored three times for the victorious Sam Houston side. Chandler David earned his second win of the tournament by tossing 2.0 innings of one-hit relief, walking one and striking out one.
Logan Britt closed a great offensive tournament for ACU with a 3-for-6 afternoon with three RBI and a run scored. Grayson Tatrow reached base safely four times, including three by way of walk, and Eric Martin drove in two runs by way of a home run.
Game 12 – No. 2 Sam Houston 22, No. 1 Grand Canyon 8 (8 Innings) | Box Score
Sam Houston continued to roll in its nightcap, scoring 22 more runs on 24 hits in only eight innings to eliminate GCU from the tournament. The Bearkats scored nine runs in the top of the second inning and six runs in the top of the eighth inning to highlight the offensive barrage.
Walker Janek kept his day going with another 4-for-6 performance that featured three doubles, a home run, seven RBI and four runs for Sam Houston. Jake Tatom finished 4-for-5 with two triples and five RBI, scoring three runs to aid the Bearkat cause. Joe Redfield, Myles Jefferson and Carlos Contreras each scored three runs for Sam Houston.
Game 13 – No. 3 Utah Valley 16, No. 6 UT Arlington 0 (7 Innings) | Box Score
UT Arlington’s magical run back to the winners’ bracket of the tournament ended against the hottest team in the field, as Utah Valley scored 16 runs on 13 hits to blank the Mavericks in seven innings. The Wolverines head to the championship game as the only remaining unbeaten team in the WAC Baseball Tournament.
Cole Jordan and Burke Camper each scored three runs in the victory for Utah Valley, while Patrick Mills, Calyn Halvorson and Brandon Luna chipped in two runs apiece. Nathan Bach led all Wolverines with four RBI.
Logan Gerling provided a great start on the bump for Utah Valley, tossing a six-hit shutout with two walks and two strikeouts on 99 pitches. The Wolverines officially reached the championship round of the tournament having used only one relief pitcher all week.
--WAC--