Clutch plays late lift Utah past BYU to even series

Clutch play has been a rare sight lately for the University of Utah baseball team.

The Utes started the season winning their first six games but have struggled mightily in Big 12 Conference play. On Friday night, coach Gary Henderson saw his team put together a complete effort in a 6-4 win over rival BYU at Smith’s Ballpark.

Matt Flaherty and Tyler Quinn had three hits apiece, Drake Digiorno smacked a tie-breaking double in the eighth inning and Lucas Boesen and Cameron Nielson pitched three innings of one-hit ball as Utah won the second game of the teams’ series to even it up.

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The final contest of the Utes’ homestand is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday.

While Salt Lake-area residents celebrate the construction of The Ballpark at America First Square in Herriman, Smith’s Ballpark was again the site of another exciting matchup between the Utes and Cougars.

“Our relief pitching was outstanding,” said Henderson. “We had a good night, and it was clutch. ...It was good to see it here. I hope we can build on it.”

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The schedule hasn’t been kind but these two teams showed signs of growth. The Cougars (15-17 overall, 5-9 Big 12) beat Utah (14-17, 3-11) in a close battle Thursday but neither team felt proud of their play.

Friday night was the opposite.

“I just wanted to get ahead of the hitters,” said Merit Jones, Utah’s starting pitcher. “I felt like I had good stuff. I love playing BYU. It’s always competitive and everyone always brings their best.”

Jones and Jaden Harris of BYU each had impressive outings and left with the Cougars holding a 4-3 lead, but then the Utes tied it when Core Jackson doubled to left-center field.

BYU coach Trent Pratt used four pitchers in a 30-minute inning and somehow the game remained tied. The Cougars, however, had to feel frustrated in the top half of the eighth when Utah’s Kaden Carpenter snagged two drives on the right field warning track.

“Outstanding plays,” said Henderson, who has become adept at keeping his emotions in check on the field.

Quinn took advantage of that momentum swing with a one-out single and he advanced to second when Santino Panaro was hit by a pitcher.

Henderson then inserted Digiorno, a .211 hitter, and he made another big play with a double off BYU’s Brayden Marx. Panaro made it 6-4 when he scored on a fielder’s choice.

The victory ended a seven-game losing streak for the Utes, and Henderson praised his pitchers for keeping them in the game. After Jones left following the sixth inning, the Cougars went 1-of-10 at the plate against Boesen and Nielson, although a pair of ninth-inning walks made the end interesting.

Jones finished with eight strikeouts. Boesen and Nielson, the latter of whom is a Cottonwood High grad, had two each.

Luke Anderson had three hits for BYU, which left 14 runners on base.