OREM, Utah – Utah Valley won the opening game of their series with Tarleton State University, 14-2, on Thursday night at UCCU Ballpark. UVU (25-13, 10-3) scored all 14 of their runs in the first innings to immediately put TSU (14-24, 4-7) in a hole. Mason Strong finished 2-for-3 with five RBIs, including an opposite field grand slam in the third inning.
 
The Wolverines got their turn with the sticks in the first inning after trailing 1-0, and they quickly got on the board after Luke Iverson worked a walk and the WAC RBI leader Landon Frei hit his team-high 11^th homer of the year to right center field to put UVU in front 2-1. Utah Valley added to their lead with two outs, starting with a single from Nate Bach before Brody Block lined a double to deep left field, but the ball came out of the glove of Tarleton left fielder Rayner Heinrich's glove as he crashed into the wall. Bach hustled home from first to go up 3-1.
 
Utah Valley took a 5-1 advantage when CJ Colyer launched a home run into left field for his fifth round-tripper of the season. Wayland Crane made the start and pitched the first inning for the Wolverines before turning the game over to Carston Herman, whose only blemish came on the first pitch thrown to Sergio Guerra, who homered to cut the lead to 5-2. Herman bounced back, and after a walk, UVU turned a double play in the second inning as Ike Shirley was struck out and leaned over home plate as Lane Brewster broke to second and was called out due to batter interference.
 
Utah Valley answered back in the second inning after DJ Massey doubled down the right field line and Luke Iverson was hit by a pitch for the 21^st time this season, tying him with current Wolverine Jayden Smith for the most in a single season. The Texans came back to record two outs before Strong singled through the middle to make it 6-2, and Bach split the outfielders in left center to score both base runners and put UVU in front 8-2.
 
The offense for UVU returned in the third inning as they chased starter Tyler Olsen after a walk to Colyer and the first home run of the season from Joe McBride to extend the lead to 10-2. Following a pitching change, Massey worked a walk and stole second base for UVU's 76^th stolen base as a team, which breaks the single-season record. He moved to third on the attempted throw that went into centerfield. The bases got loaded following walks to Frei and Dominic Longo II before Strong's grand slam made it 14-2.
 
Herman (3-2) earned his third win of the year after going six innings, allowing three hits and four strikeouts. Ike Shirey for Tarleton State was the only player to record two hits, his first in the fifth inning on a single, but he was quickly erased as Massey and Colyer turned UVU's second double play of the night.
 
Frei's home run moved him into a tie with Craig Brinkerhoff (2016) and Cole Jordan (2024) for the 12^th all-time in the single-season home run list.
 
Strong, Bach, Block, and Colyer went a combined 9-for-13 in the game, with each having at least two hits. They all scored at least a run and an RBI or more.
 
UP NEXT
The Wolverines and Texans will play the second game of the series on Friday, Apr. 18, at 3:05 p.m. MT. Due to potential weather threats in the area, please stay tuned to social media for updates. The series is scheduled to conclude on Saturday, Apr. 19 at 11:05 a.m. MT.