Calvin Jensen, Sports Information Director, Utah State Eastern

Photo courtesy of Dallin Grant

It took a game to get warmed up for USU Eastern in their series opener. They lost a hard-fought battle against Paradise Valley Community College, 7-4, in the first game of a four-game series.

In game one, the Eagles were held scoreless through the first five innings before erupting for four runs in the sixth, highlighted by a towering grand slam from center fielder Truman Duryea, who drove in all four of USU Eastern’s runs. Jake Lindsay also contributed offensively, going 2-for-3 with a stolen base, while Bodee Goins added a hit and a run scored.

On the mound, Landon Salvesen delivered a strong start, tossing four shutout innings with eight strikeouts, allowing just two hits and one walk. Reliever Gage Trane took the loss after surrendering seven runs (four earned) over 2.1 innings despite striking out three.

Paradise Valley broke through in the bottom of the sixth, capitalizing on key hits. Jared Swarbrick’s pivotal grand slam proved to be the difference-maker, while Erick Dessens added two RBI’s.

The Eagles bounced back in the second game after falling behind 4-0 in the first inning, the Eagles responded with a three-run second inning, fueled by key hits from Peyton Adams and Jake Lindsay, each driving in a run. Zak Nelson added an RBI triple to keep the momentum alive. The game remained tight until the seventh inning when USU Eastern plated three more runs to take the lead, highlighted by clutch RBI’s from Hunter Gatti, Truman Duryea, and Ashton Burnett.

Adams led the Eagles offensively, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Gatti contributed with a double, while Nelson’s triple proved pivotal. USU Eastern tallied 10 hits overall, showcasing a balanced attack.

Paradise Valley’s offense was led by Jude Almaraz, who blasted a three-run homer in the first inning, and Alex Sanchez, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Despite their early lead, PVCC couldn’t hold off the late rally.

The following day, Eastern pulled off another 6-5 victory over Paradise Valley after a tight battle. After a quiet first inning, the Eagles took control with a three-run second, thanks to RBI’s from McGwire Jephson and Truman Duryea. Paradise Valley fought back with two runs in the fourth, but the Eagles responded, adding key hits throughout the game to maintain their lead.

The pitching staff, led by Kade Hansen, who threw four innings with two earned runs, held off any late-game threats from Paradise Valley. Despite a strong offensive showing from the Pumas, including multi-hit games from Logan Yule and Erick Dessens, Utah State Eastern’s timely hitting and solid defense secured the win.

Eastern capped off their series with a commanding 8-0 win over Paradise Valley Community College, clinching the series 3-1. The Eagles got off to a strong start, putting up two runs in the first inning and adding two more in the second. A big three-run third inning gave them a commanding lead, with key contributions from Jake Lindsay, who drove in three runs, and Abraham Atencio, who added two RBI’s. Zak Nelson also chipped in with an RBI and two runs scored.

Paradise Valley struggled offensively, unable to get any runs on the board. Despite six hits, they couldn’t capitalize, and Utah State Eastern’s pitchers, led by Harley Vicchrilli (5.0 IP, 4 SO), kept them off the scoreboard. Ayden Italasano finished the game with two scoreless innings, sealing the shutout victory. The Eagles displayed strong defense, with no errors and solid pitching throughout, securing the series win in dominant fashion.