Completed Event: Baseball versus TCU on May 17, 2025 , Loss , 6, to, 8 , (11 inn.)
Final Score
Baseball
(11 inn.)
6
vs TCU
8
Friday, May 16
Salt Lake City, Utah
6 p.m.
University of Utah
21-28, 8-21
8
vs
6
TCU
36-17, 18-11
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
TCU
0
2
2
0
0
0
2
0
0
6
9
0
Utah
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
X
8
13
0
Photo by: Sophia Kuder/Utah Athletics
Utes Defeat TCU 8-6 in Penultimate Game at Smith’s Ballpark
5/16/2025 11:16 PM | Baseball
Seven-run first inning gives Utah early spark en route to evening up series
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah baseball team evened up its series with TCU, taking an 8-6 victory on Friday night at Smith's Ballpark.
The series rubber game—which is also Utah's Senior Day—takes place Saturday at 2 p.m. MT. It'll be the final contest the Utes play in Smith's Ballpark; the program will move to the new on-campus Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark in 2026.
Everyone reached base safely for Utah, which was keyed Friday night by a seven-run first inning in which the Utes belted out seven runs and seven hits. Leadoff man Santino Panaro had two hits in the inning, scoring once and driving in two more runs with his second single. Five Utes had multi-hit performances, including the top four spots in the lineup plus Matt Flaharty.
Kaden Carpenter had a career-high four hits, while Tyler Quinn doubled and had three RBIs via his fifth home run of the year. Core Jackson doubled twice to bring his team-leading total to 19 on the season and Carpenter and Austen Roellig had a double apiece.
Merit Jones (4-6) went six innings in his start for the win, striking out three Horned Frogs against four runs on eight hits and a pair of walks. No TCU baserunner got past second base after the second inning against Jones and the visitors went 0-for-5 facing him with two outs.
Ian Culver tossed two innings including a 1-2-3 eighth, before southpaw Mateus Conaway closed out the ballgame with his second save of the season.
Quinn's three-run homer went over the walkway in left field, giving Utah an early spark and came during a string of five straight hits to begin the first inning. Drake Digiorno worked a bases-loaded walk and Flaharty followed with an RBI single as the Utes led 5-0 with nobody out and chased the TCU starter.
Flaharty and Digiorno pulled off a double steal when play resumed, then Jack Kleveno was hit by a pitch to load the bases again with one out. That turned the lineup back over to Panaro, who grounded a single through the 3-4 hole to score a pair and put the Utes up by a touchdown after one inning.
TCU plated a pair in both the second and third innings to get back within 7-4. That score remained until the seventh, when the Horned Frogs added two more.
Looking for some insurance, Jackson slapped a one-out double in the eighth and took third on a tapper from Quinn in front of home plate. Carpenter then stepped into the batter's box and put a double into the right field corner as Jackson came home with the final run of the game.
Panaro once again shined defensively in center field, showing his speed on the way to coming up with multiple highlight-worthy catches.
Next Up
The Utes will celebrate Senior Day on Saturday; first pitch is at 2 p.m. MT but fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 1:30 p.m. for Senior Day recognitions. Utah's eight-man Class of 2025 includes Mateus Conaway, Drake Digiorno, Jackson Elder, Core Jackson, Brady Joyner, Bransen Kuehl, Santino Panaro and Tyler Quinn.
To mark the final game played at Smith's Ballpark, visit the marketing table and pick up a commemorative ticket while supplies last. Also, everyone is invited postgame (weather permitting) to walk the warning track on the field and reminisce on memories of not just Smith's Ballpark, but also Derks Field and Community Park which formerly stood on the same site. Shortly after the game, please meet at the bottom of sections 6 and 7 (first base side, just past the Utah dugout). Ballpark staff will be on hand to guide fans onto the warning track.
Buy tickets online at UtahTickets.com/baseball or visit the Smith's Ballpark Ticket Office one hour prior to first pitch.
Follow Utah Baseball
Follow Utah baseball on social media (@utahbaseball).
The series rubber game—which is also Utah's Senior Day—takes place Saturday at 2 p.m. MT. It'll be the final contest the Utes play in Smith's Ballpark; the program will move to the new on-campus Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark in 2026.
Everyone reached base safely for Utah, which was keyed Friday night by a seven-run first inning in which the Utes belted out seven runs and seven hits. Leadoff man Santino Panaro had two hits in the inning, scoring once and driving in two more runs with his second single. Five Utes had multi-hit performances, including the top four spots in the lineup plus Matt Flaharty.
Kaden Carpenter had a career-high four hits, while Tyler Quinn doubled and had three RBIs via his fifth home run of the year. Core Jackson doubled twice to bring his team-leading total to 19 on the season and Carpenter and Austen Roellig had a double apiece.
Merit Jones (4-6) went six innings in his start for the win, striking out three Horned Frogs against four runs on eight hits and a pair of walks. No TCU baserunner got past second base after the second inning against Jones and the visitors went 0-for-5 facing him with two outs.
Ian Culver tossed two innings including a 1-2-3 eighth, before southpaw Mateus Conaway closed out the ballgame with his second save of the season.
Quinn's three-run homer went over the walkway in left field, giving Utah an early spark and came during a string of five straight hits to begin the first inning. Drake Digiorno worked a bases-loaded walk and Flaharty followed with an RBI single as the Utes led 5-0 with nobody out and chased the TCU starter.
Flaharty and Digiorno pulled off a double steal when play resumed, then Jack Kleveno was hit by a pitch to load the bases again with one out. That turned the lineup back over to Panaro, who grounded a single through the 3-4 hole to score a pair and put the Utes up by a touchdown after one inning.
TCU plated a pair in both the second and third innings to get back within 7-4. That score remained until the seventh, when the Horned Frogs added two more.
Looking for some insurance, Jackson slapped a one-out double in the eighth and took third on a tapper from Quinn in front of home plate. Carpenter then stepped into the batter's box and put a double into the right field corner as Jackson came home with the final run of the game.
Panaro once again shined defensively in center field, showing his speed on the way to coming up with multiple highlight-worthy catches.
Next Up
The Utes will celebrate Senior Day on Saturday; first pitch is at 2 p.m. MT but fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 1:30 p.m. for Senior Day recognitions. Utah's eight-man Class of 2025 includes Mateus Conaway, Drake Digiorno, Jackson Elder, Core Jackson, Brady Joyner, Bransen Kuehl, Santino Panaro and Tyler Quinn.
To mark the final game played at Smith's Ballpark, visit the marketing table and pick up a commemorative ticket while supplies last. Also, everyone is invited postgame (weather permitting) to walk the warning track on the field and reminisce on memories of not just Smith's Ballpark, but also Derks Field and Community Park which formerly stood on the same site. Shortly after the game, please meet at the bottom of sections 6 and 7 (first base side, just past the Utah dugout). Ballpark staff will be on hand to guide fans onto the warning track.
Buy tickets online at UtahTickets.com/baseball or visit the Smith's Ballpark Ticket Office one hour prior to first pitch.
Follow Utah Baseball
Follow Utah baseball on social media (@utahbaseball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jones, Merit (4-6)
L: Parker, Caedmon (3-2)
S: Conaway, Mateus (2)
Batting:
HR: Franco, Noah 1
RBI: Cramer, Cole 1 ; Franco, Noah 3 ; Silva, Anthony 1
SF: Franco, Noah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bowen, Karson 1 ; Cramer, Cole 1 ; Franco, Noah 1 ; Brunson, Chase 1 ; Traeger, Nolan 1 ; Bell, Jack 1
HBP: Strosnider, Sawyer 1
Batting:
2B: Jackson, Core 2 ; Quinn, Tyler 1 ; Carpenter, Kaden 1 ; Roellig, Austen 1
HR: Quinn, Tyler 1
RBI: Panaro, Santino 2 ; Quinn, Tyler 3 ; Carpenter, Kaden 1 ; Digiorno, Drake 1 ; Flaharty, Matt 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Panaro, Santino 1 ; Jackson, Core 2 ; Quinn, Tyler 1 ; Carpenter, Kaden 1 ; Roellig, Austen 1 ; Digiorno, Drake 1 ; Flaharty, Matt 1
SB: Carpenter, Kaden 1 ; Roellig, Austen 1 ; Digiorno, Drake 1 ; Flaharty, Matt 1
CS: Kleveno, Jack 1
HBP: Long, Jake 1 ; Kleveno, Jack 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
4
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
OF
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RHP
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/ Baseball
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/ BaseballOF
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INF
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