BAKERSFIELD – CSU Bakersfield received a third-consecutive strong start from sophomore right-hander Benji Caggianelli, but a pair of timely, two-out home runs lifted Utah past the host Roadrunners, 4-2, in Friday night's series opener at Hardt Field. The `Runners fell to 3-5, while the Utes improved to 6-1-1 in the early going.
"They got the extra hit tonight, the one that we didn't get," said CSUB Head Coach Jeremy Beard. "Benji did a heck of a job attacking the zone, and we took quality at bats tonight, but in close games everything is magnified and that showed up in the end."
Caggianelli surrendered just four hits, while walking a pair and striking out eight in 5.2 innings pitched. The Bakersfield native seemed to get stronger as the night went on, retiring seven straight Utes before TJ Clarkson singled to right with two away in the sixth.
Utah shortstop Matt Richardson jumped on the very next pitch and launched a two-run homer over the left-field fence to give his team a lead they'd never relinquish.
The Roadrunners got a home run of their own from left-fielder James Bell, who connected for the first of his CSUB career in the fourth. Bell finished 1-for-4.
Second baseman Nick Salas evened the score in the bottom of the fifth with a sacrifice fly to right center field that scored designated hitter Andrew Allanson.
Bailey Seeger was 2-for-3 as CSUB outhit Utah, 7-5, on the night.
Utah starter Matt Sox picked up the win with 7.1 innings of five-hit ball. He struck out seven and did not walk a better to win for the second straight outing.
Caggianelli took the loss and was relieved in the sixth by lefty Matt Comnos. Comnos fanned four Utes in 3.1 scoreless innings, giving Roadrunner pitchers 12 punchouts on the night.
HOW IT HAPPENED...
T2 | TJ Clarkson jumped on the first pitch he saw and belted a long fly ball well over the right field fence to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead. The long ball was Clarkson's second of the season.
T3 | The Utes played small ball in the second when Landon Frei led off the frame with a walk, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and a passed ball and scored on Carter Booth's fly ball to centerfield.
B4 | Left-fielder James Bell put the `Runners on the board when he pounced on a 2-0 fastball from Utah starter Matthew Sox and deposited the ball over the fence in left for a solo home run, the first of his Bakersfield career.
B5 | Andrew Allanson opened the fifth with a sharp single over shortstop and advanced to third two batters later when Bailey Seeger singled to right center. Sophomore Nick Salas followed with a looping fly ball to right for a sacrifice fly, evening the score at two.
T6 | CSUB starting pitcher Benji Caggianelli quickly retired the first two Utes in the sixth, but a single from Clarkson set the stage for a game-winning, two-run home run off the bat of shortstop Matt Richardson.
NOTABLE...
* Bakersfield falls 20-34 all-time in games against Pac-12 opponents, and 11-11 in contests played at Hardt Field. The Utes extended their all-time series advantage to 6-4.
* Caggianelli worked through the fifth inning for the third time in three starts this season, solidifying his role as the team's Friday night starter. He threw 102 pitches and struck out eight Utah hitters, and now boasts 25 strikeouts in just 15.2 innings pitched.
* Catcher Bailey Seeger extended his hitting streak to four games, including multiple hits in each of his last three outings. Seeger is 9-for-18 this season and eight for his last 10.
* Bakersfield pitchers held the top five hitters in the Utah line-up to just one hit in 21 at bats, including 11 strikeouts.
* Reliever Matt Comnos now has 14 strikeouts in just 9.1 innings pitched this season. Opponents are hitting just .172 against the southpaw in 29 total at bats.
* Freshman Brock Perreira recorded his first career hit with a sharp single to left in the ninth.
ON DECK...
The Roadrunners and Utes will continue their four-game series with a double header on Saturday, beginning with a seven-inning game at 1:05 p.m. The two teams will play a full nine-inning game in the night cap, which will begin approximately 30 minutes after the final out of game one.
