ST. GEORGE, Utah. - Saint Mary's battled through adversity all weekend long and got rewarded with an eight-run shutout victory over Utah State Sunday afternoon, their first shutout of the 2025 season. Senior lefty Dylan Delvecchio made his fourth start of the season and gave the Gaels length when they needed it most, pitching a season high five innings and matching his career high with nine strikeouts.

John Damozonio and Noah Waldeck would combine to throw four innings in relief, allowing just five hits and no runs to seal the 8-0 win. The Gaels offense put up just two runs through the first six innings but a four-run seventh would give them first control of the game. Freshman infielder Colin Linteo had a sac fly in the inning for his first collegiate RBI and then Eddie Madrigal tripled down the right field line to score two more runs. 

Delvecchio threw a season high five innings and picked up his first win of the season while Madrigal was a perfect 3-for-3 from the dish with three RBI and a run scored. Cody Kashimoto was stellar out of the leadoff spot once again with a hit and three walks, bringing his season total to 18. 

7TH INNING

Up 2-0, freshman catcher Ian Armstrong would pinch hit to start the inning after junior catcher Blake Conrad got the start for his second of the season. Armstrong would get hit by a pitch and then find his way to third after a throwing error on a pickoff attempt. Linteo would then fight off the 1-2 pitch and send a fly ball to left to score Armstrong from third for his first RBI of the season. 

The Gaels put two more runners on to restart the rally with a walk from Kashimoto and a single from Aiden Taurek. Madrigal then jumped on the 1-0 pitch and yanked a two-RBI triple into the right field corner to score Taurek and Kashimoto, giving Saint Mary's a 5-0 lead. The four-run inning would come to an end after another sac fly from Ryan Pierce to score Madrigal from third for his 17th RBI of the season, increasing their lead to 6-0.  

8TH INNING

John Damozonio worked around two runners in the bottom half of the seventh to maintain their lead and get the Gaels offense back to the plate. In the bottom of the eighth, Tanner Griffith would cash in with a pinch hit single to get things started and then Ian Armstrong would record his first career home run with a two-run shot to right field. 

Despite coming off the bench, Armstrong has been an incredibly balanced hitter for Saint Mary's in his freshman season, hitting to all fields with a .324 average and 14 RBI. Sophomore pitcher Noah Waldeck would come in to pitch the final two innings and get a massive punchout in the bottom of the eighth with the bases loaded on a thrilling eight-pitch at-bat. Waldeck would get another strikeout in the ninth and work around a two-out single to close out the game and seal the 8-0 victory. 

Saint Mary's is just 2-5 on the road this season but ended their three-game skid with a dominant, complete team performance for their tenth win of the season.  

LOOKING AHEAD

Saint Mary's improved to 10-7 on the season, salvaging the final game of the series with Utah Tech. The Gaels will fly back to the East Bay and host Sacramento State on Friday, March 14th at 3:00 PM. Tickets can be bought online at smcgaels.com/tickets and you can catch all the action live on ESPN+.  

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