It was the Wolverines’ first victory in the tournament.
(John McCoy | AP) Utah Valley’s Carston Herman (6) during an NCAA baseball game on Friday, Feb. 15, 2025, in Riverside, Calif.
Utah Valley University used some timely hits, some gutsy relief pitching, and a controversial video review, to stun the No. 12 Oregon Ducks in the opening round of the NCAA baseball tournament Friday night.
UVU beat the Big Ten champs 6-5 on their home field in Eugene.
“What a fun night,” UVU head coach Nate Rasmussen said during a walkoff interview after his school’s first NCAA tournament win.
UVU’s lead looked shaky in the bottom of the eighth inning after reliever Carston Herman gave up a leadoff home run, a walk and a single that beat the Wolverines’ infield shift.
Then came the game’s most controversial moment.
Oregon’s Anson Aroz tagged from third after a fly out to left fielder Jimmy De Anda. Aroz collided with UVU catcher Mason Strong at the plate and was called safe.
After a seven-minute review, however, Aroz was determined to have made malicious contact and was called out and ejected from the game. In the end, the Wolverines escaped the inning with a 6-4 lead.
UVU jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the third, as De Anda, Strong and outfielder Luke Iverson all drove in runs.
The Ducks answered with three runs off homers from Aroz and D. Smith in the bottom of the third.
The Wolverines added two more runs in the top of the seventh.
Senior pitcher Corbin Kirk got the start and threw four innings, striking out three and giving up three earned runs.
Herman threw four and ⅔ innings before handing the ball — and 6-5 lead — to closer Cooper Littledike for the save.
The Wolverines will face Arizona (Saturday, 7 p.m. MDT) in their second game of the double-elimination regional.
“It’s huge. I got here four years ago as the recruiting coordinator and the team had just gone 10-47,” said Rasmussen, who just received a contract extension this week. “To be here four years later, continuing to rise, our first postseason win, it’s huge and nobody deserves it more than these guys.”