Utah Baseball Lives to See Another Day

Thursday, May 22

Albuquerque, N.M.

11:00 AM

University of Utah

23-31

Air Force

15-39

Air Force Falcons

University of Utah

5/22/2003 12:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

May 22, 2003

Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - In a Mountain West Conference Championship-record four hour, five minute game today, the Utah baseball team (24-31) defeated Air Force 7-6 in 11 innings to remain alive in the tournament. Junior Cort Wilson, who had driven in the tying run to force extra innings, hit the game-winning single, driving in sophomore all-conference outfielder Matt Ciaramella.

"That was a heck of an elimination game with two teams that didn't want to go home," Head Coach Tim Esmay said. "It was nice to see the breaks go our way at the end. Hopefully we will take that momentum and carry it over."

Sophomore Brady Martinez got the win on the mound, improving to 4-3 on the year. He pitched 4 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on five hits. He also struck out five.

Doug Mackay, Utah's starter, went six innings, giving up four runs on eight hits. He struck out seven batters, while walking six.

Air Force scored first on a fielder's choice in the top of the second to take a 1-0 lead.

The Utes answered later that inning when senior Mike Basham drilled a triple to right center, driving in senior Wick Udy. Junior Jared Pena then brought Basham home on a sacrifice fly, making it 2-1 in favor of Utah.

The Falcons took the lead, 3-2, on a pair of RBI-singles in the fourth.

Utah tied it at three in the bottom of the fourth when Udy scored on a balk.

Wilson knocked a solo long ball over the left field fence to put Utah back ahead, 4-3 in the fifth.

Air Force tied the game in the seventh on an RBI-base hit. The Falcons then took the lead, 6-4, when they scored two runs in the eighth on a two-run double.

When it seemed as though the game was over, the Utes came back in the ninth with an RBI-single by junior Eric Chevalier, and the game-tying sacrifice fly by Wilson.

In the 10th, the Falcons led off with a double, but Martinez retired the next three batters, the first two by strikeout and the third on a fly out to center field.

In the bottom of the 10th, with runners on first and second and a 3-2 count, freshman Ryan Khoury hit into a double play to end the inning, still tied at six apiece.

It was three up, three down for Air Force in the top of the 11th.

Then, in the bottom of that inning, Ciaramella led off with a base hit. Sophomore Brett Sundberg then reached on an error and Ciaramella advanced to third. Chevalier was then intentionally walked, loading the bases.

Wilson came to bat with no outs. After a first-pitch strike, he swung at the second and hit a single through the left side, scoring the winning run.

"I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit," Wilson said. "I watched the first one and knew it was a good pitch, so I knew the curve ball was coming. It was a long game - I just wanted to go home."

Wilson finished the day 3-for-4 with one run and three RBI. Basham went 4-for-5 with one run and one RBI, while Chevalier, who extended his hitting streak to 22, was 3-for-5 with one run driven in.

UP NEXT:
The Utes play the loser of the BYU-San Diego State game at 3 p.m. tomorrow, May 23.