Utah Valley University’s baseball team secured a 13-2 victory over UC Riverside in a game shortened to seven innings at UCCU Ballpark on Sunday. The Wolverines, now with a 5-6 record, relied on an eight-run second inning and strong pitching from Ray Hernandez.
Hernandez started for UVU and struck out four of the first six batters he faced. He finished his outing after four innings, allowing three hits and recording a career-high five strikeouts. “His day ended with a three-up, three-down inning and a strikeout,” according to the team.
The offensive surge began in the second inning when Jayden Smith singled home two runs. Luke Iverson added an RBI single, followed by Mason Hamlin’s double that forced UC Riverside to change pitchers. Kaden Carpenter was intentionally walked twice during the game, including once against new pitcher Joshua Torres. Mason Strong hit a sacrifice fly for another run, while Chipper Beck drove in two more with a single to center field. Two fielding errors by UC Riverside contributed to UVU’s scoring run.
UC Riverside managed one run in the third inning on Esteban Sepulveda’s double down the left-field line.
In the sixth inning, Iverson hit his third home run of the season—his 26th career homer—which ties him for sixth place all-time in UVU Division I history with Nate Bach (2022–25). “UVU’s Division I record is 34, hit by Dan Bulow,” as noted by team records.
Hunter Katschke also homered in the sixth for his third of the season and first at home this year. Later that inning, Smith was hit by a pitch and DJ Massey singled before Hamlin delivered another RBI single following an error by UC Riverside’s left fielder. Carpenter then doubled to extend UVU’s lead to 13-2.
Relief pitchers Chance Wallace, Josh Mawhinney, and Jacob Beltran combined for three scoreless innings to close out the game.
Utah Valley will return to UCCU Ballpark next weekend for a five-game series against Northern Colorado. Last season, UVU swept Northern Colorado in five games played in Greeley.
