Falcons double up Wolverines

OREM — The Utah Valley State baseball team lost two games Friday to visiting Air Force. The Wolverines (2-10) dropped the first half of the doubleheader 10-8 before falling in the nightcap 11-4.

In the early game, UVSC managed to yield five runs in an inning that saw Air Force collect only a single hit — thanks to five UVSC errors.

With the Wolverines leading 2-0 after a bases-loaded single by shortstop Eli Slesk, the Falcons irrevocably turned the tide in their favor in the top of the third by scoring five runs on just one hit.

Utah Valley starting pitcher Kam Mickolio began the third inning by striking out Air Force center fielder Chay Derbigny. A passed ball on the third strike, however, permitted Derbigny to advance to first base.

Mickolio walked the next two batters to load the bases and then committed a balk to force home Derbigny. After yet another walk, Falcons designated hitter Josh Meents got a hold of a Mickolio offering and hit a grand slam to make it 5-2.

In the top of the fifth, the Wolverines committed two errors to fuel a two-run Air Force rally that made it 7-3 and chased Mickolio from the game.

Despite trailing 10-5 heading into the home half of the eighth inning, UVSC rallied and very nearly caught up to Air Force.

With one out in the eighth, Slesk doubled to the wall in left-center to knock in a run. Three batters later, first baseman Dan Bulow dropped a soft liner in front of the Falcons left fielder for a two-out, two-RBI single that brought the Wolverines to within two runs, 10-8.

Air Force, though, fought fire with a fireman and countered the UVSC rally with closer Paul Vignola. After entering the game with two outs in the eighth inning and extinguishing the Wolverine rally, Vignola struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to slam the door shut on Utah Valley.

In the nightcap, the Falcons again exploded in the top of the third inning. But this time, there was no shortage of Air Force hits fueling the outburst.

After UVSC starter Kalen Parson breezed through the first two frames, the Falcons touched him for six runs in the third — including three home runs.

Air Force added four more runs in the fifth inning.

Third baseman Chris Benson had an RBI triple for the Wolverines.

NOTES: The two teams were originally slated to play one game Friday and a doubleheader today, but concerns that the weather would deteriorate late Friday led to a decision to alter the schedule and play the doubleheader Friday instead of Saturday. Weather permitting, the two squads will conclude their three-game series with a single contest today at 1 p.m.