Utah
BASEBALL: Utah was outhit 19-7 and committed four errors en route to a 19-5 loss in the first half of a doubleheader at UNLV on Saturday afternoon, but rebounded by riding a nine-run first inning to an 11-7 win over UNLV in the second half. With the win, the Utes improve to 21-30 overall and 11-15 in Mountain West Conference play.
Senior Ben Buck (6-2) earned the win on the mound, pitching 7 1/3 innings. He gave up seven runs on 11 hits, while striking out two and walking two.
Playing as the home team in a make-up game that was rained out in Salt Lake in April, Utah took a huge lead early in the second game, plating nine runs in the bottom of the first. Senior Tyson Olson started the scoring with a three-run triple. Senior Trevor Eastman struck out, but reached first and a run scored on a passed ball. Senior Nate Schlieman then brought in another on an RBI-single. One more run then scored on an error by the Rebel shortstop, followed by a two-run double by freshman Jay Brossman. The final run came on a one-run single by junior Matt Ciaramella.
UNLV plated three in the first inning. Utah got on the board in the top of the third on a two-run homer by senior Jared Pena. The Rebels added four more runs in the bottom of the third to take a 7-2 lead.
The Utes plated two more in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly b senior Eric Chevalier and a Pena RBI-double to make it a 7-4 ballgame.
UNLV led off the bottom of the inning with a solo homer and never looked back, scoring eight runs in all. After another run in the sixth, the Rebels led 16-4.
Utah scored its final run in the top of the seventh when junior Matt Ciaramella led off with a solo home run to make it a 16-5 ballgame.
UNLV added two runs in the bottom of the inning and another in the eighth for the 19-5 final.
Pena led Utah at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one run scored and three RBI. Ciaramella was the only other Ute with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-5 with two runs and one driven in.
Utah State
ADMINISTRATION: Utah State began the search process this week for a new athletic director.
Search committee Chairman Kenneth White said about 34 applications have been turned in so far, but he expects a few more to arrive. There is no cutoff date for applications, and the school will accept them until the position is filled.
The position has been open since April, when Rance Pugmire resigned after pleading guilty to one class-B misdemeanor charge of alcohol-related reckless driving on April 7. He rolled his vehicle three times near Brigham City on Feb. 15.
Fred Hunsaker has been serving as the interim athletic director since Pugmire resigned.
SOFTBALL: Utah State's season ended with a 7-0 loss to Cal Poly in Big West softball action Saturday. It was the final outing for USU's three seniors: Amanda Carlson, Casey Smith and Haven Vance.
The Aggies finished the season 10-41overall and 6-15 in the Big West.
Southern Utah
SOFTBALL: For the second time in three seasons, SUU's Lacee LePrey has been named the Mid-Continent Conference's player of the year. LePrey is joined on the all-Mid-Con softball team by five of her teammates, including four first-teamers. Anna Leeman, Kimberly Tillery, Jentry Johnson and Kristen Carmicheal were named to the first team, while Ashley Howerton was named to the second team. SUU coach Laurel Simmons was named coach of the year for the second straight season and third time overall. A senior from Sandy (Jordan High), LePrey was named to the first-team as a pitcher and to the second team as an outfielder. She led the Mid-Con in batting average (.387), slugging (.690), hits (65), total bases (116) on-base percentage (.477) and walks (29) as well as in pitching wins (23) and opponent's batting average (.207).
SLCC
BASEBALL: SLCC (31-25, 20-20) rebounded Friday with an 8-4 win over Colorado Northwestern to advance in the Region 18 tournament. But its season ended with a 3-2 loss to Southern Idaho in 13 innings in the late game.