Friday night home opener at the new baseball stadium on Guardsman. The 5-5 Utes v Grand Canyon.
Utes christen the new digs in impressive fashion, 9-0. Probably 500 Ute fans who gave the team an enthusiastic home field advantage, even though it was colder than the balls on a brass monkey with a noticeable north wind.
The stadium is really nice, modest number of chair seats but it looks like if interest grows the stands could be expanded. I’m told the facilities next door are impressive as well, include 5 batting cages. I sat next to what looked like an 8 year old kid who was there with his grandpa, and one of the event people asked him if he wanted to announce the game for an inning.
“Sure”, he said, no drama or negotiations… got to hear him make the announcements for an inning. He said it was pretty cool. Americana, baby, Utah Utes style!
Here’s a shot at sunset in the bottom of the 1st, the sun lighting up the foothills south of Emigration Canyon. This looks like it will be a really nice option to catch some Utah baseball.
Utes with a walk off single in the 9th to take the series vs Arizona.
Pretty intense series, Utes were ahead early in the first 2 games, the Cats pulled ahead & both games went to extra innings. We lost the Friday night game, came back to win the Saturday game… then won today.
Clutch.
11-6 overall, 2-1 in Big-12.
With the heat bomb coming - it’s just March, won’t be 105F - might be a good time to catch the 4p game vs Wazzu on Tuesday.
I was watching the game on ESPN+ and was geeked when the Utes scored those 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th, figured they had the win. Then, that two out fly down the left field line, and the follow-up single gave AZ the lead and my heart dropped as I never thought how many chances do the Utes have to win a series against a warm weather team in a 3 game set.
I thought for sure when AZ scored those runs in the 9th, that was it. But… wow, I cheered so loud on that walk-off I scared my neighbors dog!
Baseball is a great sport to disabuse oneself of the roller coaster emotions of football, where every game is a big deal. Never get too high, never get too low. There’s always another game, another at-bat, another inning. Anything is possible. Our coach Gary Henderson has an Olympic class poker face. Looks like he’s walking out to the mailbox.
I started watching the 3rd game assuming we dropped the Saturday night game after they pulled ahead in the 9th, ughen. So, that was a bonus, “We’re 1-1 in league play? Nice!”
But you’re right, how cool for the Utes to win a 3 game series against a warm weather team, in March? Bonus - a conference series!
That homer Lira from Arizona hit was an ICBM. 477 feet? Damn.
I tuned in to the game right at the start of the 5th inning, and the Utes down 3-1. I think it was 11 pitches later that the Utes lead 5-3, and on the way to victory.
Both teams used tons of pitchers because they both have three game sets over the weekend.
I noticed the crowd in shirt sleeves. What a nice day to take in a game.
Temps will be in the high 70s for the next few days. Great baseball weather. Destroyed my ski season. And, the most important, will put Utah in a severe draught, again. Ha
My spring has been complete chaos this year, dealing with issues with a younger brother, and projects at home, but every time I leave the house for a much needed bike ride, I head from my neighborhood toward City Creek, which takes me north on Guardsman from Sunnyside, and past the new ballpark.
I always think as I’m riding by and folks are gathering for a game, “what’s wrong with this picture, I could be having a beer, watching my Utes, and not breathing so hard”.
I’ll get it right one of these days
Edit: to ask, is it legal to have a beer in the new park (or, possible, sort of, otherwise)? Alcohol is not my focus at a baseball game, but an earlier inning refreshment is not a bad thing either.
The weather was a little brisk. Utes lost 8-5. I must have ticked someone off in the parking lot as I returned to my car to find a mangled windshield wiper and both my side mirrors attempted to be pulled off.
. Sounds like you tuning in was the spark the Utes needed. Good job.