The Nevada baseball team (3-3) completed the sweep with a 5-3 walkoff victory against the Utah Valley Wolverines (2-5) at Peccole Park on Sunday, Feb. 22.
In the top of the first, Nevada starting pitcher Jayce Dobie retired the top of the lineup for Utah Valley in 1-2-3 order. However, Wolverines starter Landon Zabrowski returned the favor in the bottom of the frame.
After a hitless second inning, Utah Valley shortstop Chipper Beck sent a ball into the gap for the game’s first hit. In the subsequent at-bat, designated hitter Luke Iverson drove a ball off the scoreboard for a homer, putting the Wolverines up 2-0.
The visitors kept rolling in the third, as Mason Hamlin reached base and advanced into scoring position off a errant pickoff attempt by Dobie. Two more reached base to load the bases, but Dobie got out of the jam after a pop-out to end the inning.
Zabrowski retired the Pack in order again in the bottom of the third, keeping his perfect outing through his first time through the lineup.
Junhyuk Kwan got Nevada’s first hit of the game in the fourth, while Noah Blythe and Rominic Quiban continued the hitting in the fifth, reaching base as the first two batters of the inning.
After a fielder’s choice that retired Quiban at second base, Nevada right fielder Sam Kane stole second and center fielder Jacob Doyle walked to load the bases.
A mistake-filled inning for Zabrowski got worse as he walked Jack Metcho and hit Jake Harvey with a pitch on back-to-back at-bats to tie the game for Nevada, 2-2.
Utah Valley’s Beck led off the seventh with a double, but Nevada reliever Jordan Giacomini was able to get out of trouble. Giacomini replaced Dobie at the beginning of the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Nevada shortstop Jackson Waller reached base on a single into left field and advanced to second on a fielder’s choice to get in scoring position.
With two outs, Metcho lasered a ball into the right-center field gap, but an eye-catching diving snag by Wolverines right fielder Kaden Carpenter ended the inning, causing the visitors bench to erupt in celebration.
Giacomini continued his strong relief appearance through the top of the eighth, putting down the Utah Valley batters in order.
In the top of ninth, Utah Valley finally broke Giacomini down, as Iverson drove in Brody Block for his third RBI of the game, giving them the lead 3-2.
Giacomini was replaced by Eddie Tierney, who inherited runners on the corners, but struck Hamlin out to end the top of the final frame.
Nevada’s Quiban led off the bottom of the ninth, and singled through the left side of the infield to get an early runner on base for the Pack. Wolverines closer Trey Jacobsen then entered the game, replacing Garrett Miller, who pitched three and a third scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
On the first pitch thrown by Jacobsen, Kane drove a ball into left field which rolled all the way to the wall. Quiban rounded third and looked primed to score, but a perfect relay from left fielder Block to shortstop DJ Massey beat him to home plate on a bang-bang play.
Kane ended up at second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch, which was then followed by a four-pitch walk of Doyle.
Jack Metcho came to the plate with runners on the corners and two outs, and dribbled one down the third-base line. Utah Valley third baseman Hamlin charged and made a clean exchange, but his throw led first baseman Hunter Katschke off the bag, tying the game at three.
Harvey made good contact on the first pitch of his at-bat, but the ball died at the warning track, sending the game to extra innings.
Tierney was replaced by reliever Nik Miller to start the tenth, who put down the side in order.
Carter Seely entered the game in the bottom of the tenth for the Wolverines, facing Junhyuk Kwon. Seely hit Kwon in the back on a full count, who responded with a passionate bat flip toward the dugout.
The next batter was Sean Yamaguchi, who took two pitches for balls to start the at-bat, getting an early lead in the count.
Seely responded with an off-speed pitch, which Yamaguchi crushed to deep left center, barely clearing the 400-foot sign to give the Pack a 5-3 walkoff victory.
Nevada’s next challenge is a three-game series away against UC Davis on Feb. 27, 28, and March 1.
