Baseball club improves to 8-4 in conference
This weekend proved well for Utah State University club baseball players and their fans. The Aggies defeated Boise State University 11-3 and 3-2, but lost the final game 9-8.
“We did well,” Head Coach Ernie Rivers said. “It showed a lot of what the team is made of.”
The Friday night winning pitcher was Taylor Jensen. Jensen pitched five innings and only had two earned runs.
The team’s hitting helped make up for those runs – 11 Aggies made it around home base.
“Our hitting did really well,” Rivers said.
Saturday morning’s game wasn’t as high-scoring though. Broc Yancy was the winning pitcher for that game, completing the game. Two runs were scored by the Broncos but the Aggies were able to send three runners home.
The Aggies gave Boise a challenge in the final game but were unable to win. They were down by six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Aggies were able to score the needed runs, sending the game into extra innings.
The Broncos scored in the eighth inning on an error and the Aggies were unable to get the run back.
“I was proud of my guys for coming back,” Rivers said.
Rivers complimented the whole team on the win.
“I am really proud of the team, they did really well,” he said. “Leaders stepped up and even some who haven’t stepped up yet this season did. I was glad to see that.
“Our pitching threw really well. I am pretty happy with all the pitching. Starting, closing and relief pitchers all did well. Our fielding and hitting did really well also,” he said.
Team captain Jason Clark said the team does a really good job of helping each other out on the field.
“We play well together as a team,” he said. “Some of the teams I have been on had one or two guys who don’t get along well with everyone and so when someone messes up they get mad at each other. On our team if someone messes up we help each other out by lifting them up.”
Clark also mentioned the unity the team has off the field.
“We went to the Stingers game a couple of nights ago,” he said. “It was cool. Sometimes we hang out together on the weekend. It makes us more family-oriented.”
Rivers said Rich Hanson’s catching in the third game was crucial.
“The other team has a right to knock down a catcher but they just took our catcher out,” Rivers said. “I thought it was unfair. Hanson just bounced right back up and got in the game. He did really well.”
They tried to run down the catcher again but Hanson wouldn’t allow it a second time, Rivers said.
The Aggies now have a conference record of 8-4.
“Right now we are probably sitting third in our conference,” Rivers said. “Weber [State University] and University of Idaho have less losses than us.”
The team is in a good position to be able to play in the conference tournament.
Tuesday the team will travel to Idaho Falls to play against the College of Southern Idaho. There will be a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. These games do not count on the Aggies conference record.
“Game experience is really good,” next year’s team captain Jonathan Swenson said. “Southern Idaho University is one of the top junior college teams in their conference. All the junior college teams we have played have been. It gives us a chance to hit against good pitching.”