Bakersfield, Calif. – Andrew Allanson homered in both ends of a double header, and Kellen O'Connor tossed a complete-game gem in the night cap as CSU Bakersfield bounced back from a difficult first game to split a twinbill with visiting Utah Valley, Saturday at Hardt Field in front of an announced crowed of 558. The Roadrunners have won five of their last seven games and are now 10-12 overall, including a 3-0 record in Big West play.
"It was so important for our team to bounce back from what was an awful game one, to a character defining win in game two," said CSUB Head Coach Jeremy Beard. "We didn't do much right in game one, but we we're able to keep our composure and flush that result. Kellen was terrific and set the tone, not just for tonight, but for tomorrow's series finale."
The Roadrunners committed five errors in Saturday's opener, allowing nine unearned runs in a 12-1 loss. Allanson's fifth home run pulled Bakersfield within 4-1 in the sixth, but UVU scored three times in the seventh, once in the eighth and four more times in the ninth to blow out the `Runners. Paul Vossen and Mick Madsen each had two hits for the Wolverines, while reliever Nick Sims struck out three over four innings of work to earn the victory.
Bakersfield responded immediately in game two, when a James Bell double and an Allanson single put the home team up 1-0 in the bottom of the first. Allanson made it 4-0 in the third when he homered for the fourth-straight contest.
O'Connor struck out seven and allowed just three hits in the first complete-game shutout of his Bakersfield career.
HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME 1...
T3 | UVU struck for four runs in the top of the third to take their first lead of the series. Trey Cutchen opened the inning with a double down the line in right, scoring on Garrett Broussard's sacrifice fly. Three batters later Kyle Coburn's fly ball into right was lost in the sun, scoring two more Wolverines. Coburn later scored on a first and third play that ended the inning, but not before he crossed the plate with UVU's fourth run.
B6 | Andrew Allanson struck again, this time belting his fourth home run of the week over the fence in right-center field to put CSUB on the board.
T7 | Mick Madsen scored on an error in the seventh, before UVU broke when Cole Jordan jumped on a 2-0 fastball and belted a two-run home run over the fence in left.
T8 | Pinch hitter Mitch Moralez came off the bench and worked a full-count walk to push a run across in the eighth and give the Wolverines an 8-0 lead.
T9 | Four more unearned runs scored for UVU in the ninth. Paul Vossen doubled in a run, while Moralez doubled in a pair to finish with three RBI. Another run came across to score when Madsen reached on a fielding error.
HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME 2...
B1 | James Bell reached on a one out double and came around to score on Andrew Allanson's sharp single over shortstop to give CSUB an early 1-0 lead.
B2 | CSUB loaded the bases with no outs, but managed to score just once in the inning after Nick Salas grounded into a run-scoring double play.
B3 | Allanson homered for the fourth-straight game and for the fifth time this week in the third. He took a 2-0 pitch well over the fence in right-center field to make it 4-0 Roadrunners. Bell scored on the play after singling to lead off the inning.
NOTABLE...
• Andrew Allanson homered two more times, once in each game, and now leads the Roadrunners with six long balls on the year. Allanson is 7-for-15 this week, with five homers and 15 RBI.
• Kellen O'Connor pitched the best game of his career in the nightcap, working a seven inning complete game and allowing just three hits and no walks. He struck out seven and tossed CSUB's first complete-game shutout since Mar. 31, 2019, when Edgar Barclay threw a nine-inning, one-hit shutout of Seattle U.
• Evan Rice extended his on-base streak to 18-games in game one, before seeing his run snapped with an 0-for-3 in the nightcap.
• Bakersfield head coach Jeremy Beard coached his 250th game at CSUB in Saturday's nightcap.
ON DECK...
Bakersfield and Utah Valley wrap up their four-game series with a single game, Sunday at Hardt Field with first pitch scheduled for 12:05 p.m. Tomorrow is Major League Baseball Day, with CSUB celebrating the return of professional baseball by offering fans $3 tickets at the gate if they show up wearing any professional baseball attire.
After tomorrow's contest, the Roadrunners will prepare for a return to Big West Conference play. CSUB welcomes Cal State Fullerton for a three-game conference series, beginning next Friday.
