BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—Greyson Bogden's triple in the top of the sixth proved to be the game winning run as Utah Valley defeated CSU Bakersfield 3-2 to open a Western Athletic Conference series Friday night at Hardt Field.

The Roadrunners got on the board when Kris Cayton (R-Sr., Manhattan Beach, Calif., LA Harbor College) scored on a Danny Beddes wild pitch in the bottom of the second.  Tate Harding's two-out RBI single in the top of the third tied the score for Utah Valley.

Spencer Gothberg gave the Wolverines the lead in the top of the fifth with a two-out RBI single that plated Mark Krueger. Ryan Grotjohn's (So., Cave Creek, Ariz., Brophy College Prep) sacrifice fly drove in Joey Sanchez (So., Pico Rivera, Calif., El Rancho HS) to the game once again in the bottom of the fifth.

Bogden's game winning hit came with one out in the sixth. Craig Brinkerhoff scored on the play.

CSUB pinch-hitter Christian Deaton (Fr., Bakersfield, Calif., Stockdale HS) led off the seventh with an infield single. Deaton advanced to second on Jordie Hein's (Sr., Scottsdale, Ariz., Chapparal HS) sacrifice bunt. Sanchez grounded out to second which allowed Deaton to go to third. David Metzgar (So., Lancaster, Calif., Paraclete HS) fouled out to right on Beddes' first pitch to conclude matters.

The Roadrunners threatened in the eighth. With one out, pinch-hitter Max Carter (So., Bakersfield, Calif., Stockdale HS) singled to right center. Mylz Jones (Jr., Palmdale, Calif., Paraclete HS) struck out before Cayton flew out to right for the final out.  

“Tonight we faced the same problem, we have faced all year long, we didn't execute,” said CSUB head coach Bill Kernen. “We left runners in scoring position several times.”

Beddes, who had 135 pitches entering the ninth, needed three pitches to retire Chance Gusbeth (Jr., Lancaster, Calif., Desert Christian HS) for the first out in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Nick Vehlewald (Jr., Bakersfield, Calif., Garces HS) flew out to center for out No. 2. Facing Hein 143 pitches in, Beddes walked Hein on his 149th and final pitch of the night.  

Kyle Valgardson relieved Beddes to face Sanchez. Valgardson ran the count to 2-2 before striking out Sanchez for the final out of the game.

CSUB starter Hayden Carter (Sr., San Diego, Calif., Vista HS) took the loss. Carter went eight innings and struck out five while allowing eight hits.

“Hayden struggled with his command, but he pitched well enough to win,” Kernen said. “Geddes was All-Conference last season; he's one of the best in the league. You need to execute against pitchers like that. Our pitching and defense kept us in it. There are a lot of ways to score and until we do that on a consistent basis, we aren't going to be successful.”

CSUB stranded eight while UVU left eight on base. Krueger and Bogden both had two hits for the Wolverines.  Sanchez paced the Roadrunners as he was 2-for-3. Counting being hit by a pitch, Sanchez reached base three times. Grotjohn also reached base three times as he walked twice for earning his sac fly.

CSUB (12-13-1, 1-2-1 WAC) continues the series against Utah Valley (6-18, 2-2 WAC) on Saturday at 6 p.m. The game can be seen on Bakersfield.com.  Tickets are available at Vallitix.com.

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