Utah takes two baseball games from UCD

After winning four of its first five contests, the UC Davis baseball team came back to earth a bit against Utah, losing games on Friday (11-8) and Saturday (7-3) at Dobbins Stadium.

On Saturday, Aggie left fielder Mike Mazzara had three hits, including two doubles, but the Utes (3-2) used three late-inning home runs to beat UCD (4-3).

Utah second baseman T.J. Bennett and catcher A.J. Young each had two-run homers, to help their team scored five runs over the last two frames. Shortstop Cory Hunt added a solo homer.

The game was a pitcher’s duel for seven innings as Utes starter Tanner Banks and Aggie right-hander Spencer Koopmans were both impressive on the hill. Banks allowed just two runs and six hits through seven innings of work while striking out four and walking two. Koopman also pitched well, giving up just five hits and three runs while striking out seven and walking two.

After Paul Politi extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a first-inning single, and scored on Mazzara’s double down the right-field line, the Aggies took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on back-to-back doubles by shortstop Adam Young and catcher Izaak Silva.

Koopmans gave way to reliever Alex Sachs with the game tied at 2-2 in the top of the seventh inning and Bennett broke the tie with his two-run shot to left. Mazzara’s second double led off the eighth, and he eventually scored UCD’s final run on a passed ball.

Mazzara finished 3-for-4 with an RBI while right fielder Seth Batty added a hit for the Aggies.

On Friday, UCD’s Kevin Barker had three hits and three RBIs, including a go-ahead two-run triple in the seventh, but Utah rallied with five runs in the final two innings.

The Aggies trailed 6-1 after five innings but rallied to take an 8-7 advantage into the ninth inning. The Utes, however, touched reliever Max Cordy for four runs — two of them unearned — to take an 11-8 lead.

UCD and Utah will continue the series with a 1 p.m. matchup on Sunday — with right-hander Ben Burke (0-1) getting the start for the Aggies — then finish the four-game set with a 1 p.m. contest on Monday.