OREM, Utah. –– The bats came alive for the Gaels in their third doubleheader of the season as the won both games against Utah Valley with a total of 21 runs.

HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME ONE
 

• Joe Vranesh got the offense started for the Gaels on Saturday with a double up the third base line followed by a single to left field from Eddie Haus. Kevin Milam then hit to the second baseman, but it bounced off his glove and Vranesh scored giving the Gaels the 1-0 lead. Austin Chauvin singled to right field to begin the second inning and was later driven in on a double to left center from Ryan Novis putting SMC up 2-0.

 

• Chauvin began the top of the fourth by driving a homer to deep left field and giving the Gaels the 3-0 advantage. Conor Thane was then hit by a pitch and Daniel Mendez reached first on a fielding error which advanced Thane. Novis then singled to left field and scored Thane, followed by another fielding error during Vranesh's at-bat that scored Mendez. The top of the inning ended with the Gaels on top 5-0.

 

• Ken Waldichuk had a strong start on Saturday with four strikeouts while allowing only one hit through five innings pitched. To start off the bottom of the sixth inning, he gave up two singles with two outs and walked the following batter. The next batter was hit by a pitch and the first run of the day crossed the plate for the Wolverines. Waldichuk tossed his fifth strikeout of the game to get the Gaels out of the inning with a 5-1 lead. Ty Madrigal came in for relief in the bottom of the seventh inning, and Waldichuk ended his day only allowing three hits and one run.

 

• With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, the Wolverines hit a single to right field and then another single up the first base line to put runners at the corners. Matt Green made a catch at the right field wall and got the Gaels out of the inning. SMC got into more trouble in the bottom of the eighth as the Wolverines loaded the bases with one out. Michael Hobbs came in and got Saint Mary's out of another bases-loaded jam and the two teams went into the final inning with the Gaels still on top 5-1.

 

• Saint Mary's refused to quit in the final inning as Vranesh and Haus hit back-to-back homeruns and extended the Gaels' lead to 7-1. Gio Diaz was then walked and Green hit a single into left field, followed by a walk of Chauvin that loaded the bases. Thane then fouled out and Diaz tagged up to give the Gaels their eighth run of the day with two outs. Freshmen relievers Ryan Daugherty and Dalton Ponce struggled in the bottom of the ninth, allowing two runs in, but the Gaels eventually shut down the comeback and won 8-3.

HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME TWO
 

• Novis kicked off Game Two with a solo shot over the left field wall for his first homerun of the season to put the Gaels on top 1-0 early on. The two teams went quietly through the next two innings as the batters were mostly flying and grounding out.

 

• To begin the fourth inning, Milam singled to center field followed by a single from Haus to right field. Chauvin then reached on a fielder's choice to third base and Milam scored putting the Gaels up 2-0. Santini walked to start off the fifth inning and shortly after Thane reached on a fielder's choice. Vranesh was then hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Novis came up to plate and unloaded a grandslam to left field that gave the Gaels the 6-0 lead. Milam was then walked and Chauvin singled to left field and advanced Milam to third with two outs. Green then reached on a throwing error which scored Milam, followed by a single from Diaz that scored both Chauvin and Green, giving the Gaels the 9-0 lead.

 

• Vranesh recorded a leadoff walk in the sixth inning followed by a single from Novis to right field that advanced Vranesh to third. Milam then doubled to left center and drove in the Gaels tenth run of the game and their 18th run of the day. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Wolverines scored their first run on a homerun to left field. Lomeli then got into a jam and loaded the bases with one out, but was able to pitch the Gaels out of it.

 

• Thane hit a triple with two outs in the top of the seventh followed by a single from Vranesh which scored Thane and put the Gaels up 11-1. In the top of the eighth, Jack Murphy and Gabe Giosso came in to pinch hit and following a double from Giosso and a walk from Murphy, Bryce Willits doubled to right center and scored them both to bring the score to 13-1.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 21: Runs recorded for the Gaels across both games compared to UVU (4).
• 5: Homeruns for Saint Mary's on Saturday (Novis 2, Vranesh, Haus, Chauvin).
• 29: Total hits for the Gaels compared to the Wolverines (22).
• 4: Games this season in which SMC has collected 10 or more runs.
• 15: Strikeouts collected from SMC pitchers during both games.
• 4: Errors for the Wolverines on Saturday compared to SMC (0).

COMING UP

Saint Mary's will play their final game against Utah Valley on Sunday at noon MT (11 a.m PT) before returning home to Moraga.

#GaelsRise – Tickets for all upcoming home game are available for purchase here on SMCGaels.com or by calling the SMC Ticket Office at (925) 631-GoTx. Fans can find all live coverage links on SMCGaels.com.