Utah Baseball Takes 3-2 Win Over UC Davis

Friday, February 17

Davis, Calif.

2:00 PM

University of Utah

3-4

UC Davis

4-3

Utah

UC Davis

2/17/2006 12:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

Feb. 17, 2006

Final Stats

DAVIS, Calif. - The University of Utah baseball team scored just three runs Friday afternoon against the UC Davis Aggies. But that was just enough for Ute starting pitcher Josh Cooper.

Cooper, along with two relievers, held UC Davis to just two runs and helped Utah to a 3-2 win in the first contest of the three-game set. Cooper (1-1) picked up the victory, going seven innings, striking out six and allowing just one run on five hits.

"Cooper really pitched well for seven innings," Utah head coach Bill Kinneberg said. "His sinking fastball and slider really kept them off balance. They didn't hit the ball hard at all against him. He got a lot of ground balls and popups."

Utah grabbed a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Ryan Khoury led off with a walk and advanced to second base on a balk. Tyler Kmetko then delivered a single back up the middle, pushing Khoury across for the first run of the contest. Kmetko later scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of John Welsh.

The Utes added to their lead, scoring the eventual winning run, in the fifth inning. Jay Brossman punched a one-out single through the right side of the infield. Welsh later chased Brossman home with a two-out RBI single to right field, putting Utah on top 3-0.

Cooper held the Aggies at bay for six innings. But UC Davis got a two-out RBI triple to get on the board in the seventh inning. The Aggies also scored a single run in the eighth. Rory James took over for Cooper and got into some trouble, when Evan Hudson reached on an error and later moved to third on an infield hit.

Brad DeVore took over for James with one out in the eighth. A sacrifice fly plated Hudson to pull UC Davis within one run, 3-2. DeVore then coaxed a fly ball to left field from pinch-hitter Jacob Jefferies to get out of the inning.

The Aggies threatened in the ninth. Michael Hernandez led off with a double to left and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. The double would be the only hit DeVore would allow, as he got a ground out and a fly ball to end the contest and pick up his first save of the season.

Brossman was 3-for-4 at the plate for Utah and scored a run. Welsh was 1-for-3, but had two RBIs. Michael Potter was a tough-luck loser for UC Davis, tossing seven innings and allowing just three runs.

The Utes and Aggies are slated to continue the series Saturday afternoon. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. PST.

-UU-