Kirk Haney – Utah State Eastern Baseball

Photo courtesy of Jeff Barrett

The USU Eastern baseball team opened play for the season in Henderson, Nevada. Losing all their games including a double header on Saturday with Arizona Western College USU Easter now sit at 0-4 on the season.

Below is a recap of the weekend’s action:

Game 1 

Central Arizona College- Loss 9-0

Hayden Brock was on the pitcher’s mound for USU Eastern Baseball. The righty allowed three hits and seven runs over five innings, striking out 11.  Carson Hawkes threw four innings out of the bullpen giving up 0 hits in his four innings of work. Eastern pitching looked great taking the field and kept the number two team off balance for most of the day.  Payton Norman and Jake Mortensen all had one hit to lead USU Eastern Baseball.

Game 2 

Arizona Western College- Loss 11-1 (Five innings)

USU Eastern lost the lead late in an 11-1 defeat to Arizona Western on Saturday.  The game was tied at one with Arizona Western batting in the top of the fourth when #28 singled on a 0-2 count, scoring two runs.  The USU Eastern Baseball struggled to contain the high-powered offense of Arizona Western, giving up 11 runs.  Ky Decker started the game for USU Eastern Baseball. The pitcher lasted four innings, allowing four hits and three runs while striking out seven.  Dylan Hawkes threw one inning in relief.  Jake Mortensen, Parker Joos, Gabe Childs, and Cole Mason each managed one hit to lead USU Eastern . Eastern didn’t commit a single error in the field. Joos had the most chances in the field with ten.

Game 3 

Arizona Western College- Loss 15-4 (Six innings)

Kody Nelson took the loss for USU Eastern Baseball. The pitcher lasted four innings, allowing six hits and four runs while striking out six and walking one.  Cole Mason, Payton Norman, Scott Bahde, and Jake Mortensen each managed one hit to lead USU Eastern Baseball.

Game 4 

Central Arizona College- Loss 15-5

USU Eastern Baseball took an early lead in the second inning.  Central Arizona knotted the game up at three in the top of the third inning.  #26 singled on a 0-1 count, scoring one run.  After Central Arizona scored two runs in the top of the seventh, USU Eastern Baseball answered with two of their own.  Central Arizona scored when #4 homered on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring two runs.  USU Eastern then answered when Kaden Kunz grounded out, scoring one run and Zac Argyle grounded out, scoring one run.

“There is a lot of good that came out of this weekend even though the outcome was not what we wanted,” said head coach Kirk Haney.  “Players progressively got better as the weekend went on and many pitchers looked great in their outings. When opening with a tournament like this it gives our players the chance to see where we need to get too. Both the teams we played while down here are powerhouses and put out many great players. I believe that when we get back out on a field consistently, we will make great progress and compete at a high level.”