MORAGA, Calif. — The 2021 baseball season began on Friday afternoon on a mostly cloudy and chilly day at Louis Guisto Field. Sidelined since March with the 2020 season halted, Saint Mary's Baseball returned for the first time in nearly a year with their season opener against Utah Valley. A pitcher's duel was expected, and that was delivered with both pitching staff in top-form early. Utah Valley was able to hold off all rallies from the Gaels, however, and secure a 2-1 win in the first game of the season.
 
FREE PASSES, FREE RUNS
Carlos Lomeli was on the mound for Saint Mary's, and as expected, he was pretty good to open up the season. He ran into trouble in just two innings, and those were the two frames that cost the Gaels the win. In the top of the third, Lomeli walked the ninth-place hitter to leadoff the frame. Garrett Broussard followed with a single to right field on a hit-and-run, putting runners at the corners, and then another single for Utah Valley plated the game's first run, all from that leadoff walk. In the sixth inning, Lomeli walked and then hit the first two batters of the frame before getting pulled with one out. The first of those free passes scored on a wild pitch, giving the Wolverines a 2-0 lead.
 
FIRST RUN OF 2021
It took Saint Mary's until the bottom of the seventh to break through when they finally cashed in on a miscue from Utah Valley. After strikeouts to open the inning, both Ryan Novis and Justin Banks were hit by pitches. A pitching change for the Wolverines set up Chris Santiago, who also tossed an inning of relief later in the game. He hit a ball into the hole at short that was dropped at first base on a close play, but the ball ricocheted away enough for Novis to score from second, making it a 2-1 game.
 
STRANDED
The Gaels had several chances to break through and bust the game open, starting in the very first inning. Ryan Ellis and Banks were hit, with Novis draw a walk in between to set up a bases loaded situation with just one out. A strikeout and a flyout ended the inning and became a theme for the Gaels on opening day. Saint Mary's left 12 runners on base in nine innings, including the tying run in the ninth inning, which was left stranded at third base. With runners in scoring position, the Gaels were just 1-12.
 
BRIGHT SPOTS
On an otherwise overcast day, there were positives for Saint Mary's in defeat. Eric Smelko made his collegiate debut in his second season and went 2-3 with a walk and a pair of singles. His singles to right field were in his first two at bats, batting left-handed, before switching to the right side and walking in his third plate appearance. The Gaels bullpen was also stellar again as it was in 2020, getting eight outs with five strikeouts and not allowing a run.
 
UP NEXT
The series continues with a doubleheader tomorrow morning starting at 10:00 am at Louis Guisto Field. Sam Bower and Ky Bush will toe the rubber for Saint Mary's in games one and two and they will be opposed by Nick Sims and Bobby Voortmeyer for the Wolverines.
 
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