SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Down 6-1 to host Utah after just three innings and having not played its usual brand of baseball over the first two games of the series, the Cal baseball team had to confront the very real possibility that it would leave in Salt Lake City any and all momentum gained from a pair of Pac-12 series sweeps.
Instead, the Bears chose to fight their way back and the result was one of the more impressive victories of the season as Cal scored four runs over the final four innings to take the lead and the pitching duo of
Erik Martinez and
Tanner Dodson helped turn that offense into an 8-7 win over the Utes at Smith's Ballpark.
A slow and steady comeback effort gained steam in the eighth inning Saturday when Cal (16-17, 8-7 Pac-12) pulled even with the Utes for the first time all day. Junior
Preston Grand Pre got the inning started with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and sophomore
Tyrus Greene came up with the clutch hit, sending a single back up the middle to knot the score at 7.
One inning later, the Bears capitalized on that new life to take the lead. Dodson led off with a double to left-center and
Matt Ruff moved him to third with a ground ball to the right side. Freshman
Max Flower got the first chance to put Cal ahead and he did so with a fundamental at-bat, hooking a fly ball into left field that gave Dodson a chance to tag and slide in just ahead of the throw home to make it 8-7.
Utah (14-17, 5-10) wasn't prepared to go away quietly and singles by Ellis Kelly and Oliver Dunn put runners on the corners with two down. Dodson came in from center field to try and record the final out and, facing the Utes' top hitter in Dallas Carroll, the sophomore got the job done in just three pitches as a grounder to Grand Pre at second gave Cal an important road win.
As Cal rallied to get back into the game, Martinez played a huge part out of the bullpen. Instead of entering in his usual late-inning role, the right-hander came on in the sixth looking to keep the Utes right where they were on the scoreboard. That's exactly what happened as Martinez tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, striking out five and allowing just three base runners to earn his first win of the season.
Cal's offense responded when called on Saturday as the Bears collected 15 hits as a team. Dodson went 3 for 2 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored while Greene,
Jeffrey Mitchell, Jr., Ruff and Grand Pre contributed with two hits apiece. Grand Pre reached base three times and scored three runs in the win.
The Bears return to local action on Tuesday when they travel to Stanford for the second of two non-conference matchups with the Cardinal this season. First pitch is set for 5:35 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live by Pac-12 Networks. Cal comes home to Evans Diamond next weekend to resume Pac-12 play as USC will pay a visit to Berkeley for three games beginning on Friday. First pitch for the series opener is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
