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SALT LAKE CITY - University of Utah shortstop Ryan Khoury became the school's all-time hits leader Tuesday night at Franklin Covey Field. Khoury helped lead the Utes to a 5-2 win over Southern Utah in the squad's final non-conference game of the season.
Khoury's historic hit came in the bottom of the third. He roped a leadoff single into left field to record the 281st hit of his Utah career. He later doubled to finish the night with 282. The record had been held by Nate Weese, who rapped out 280 hits from 1999-2002.
Utah got spectacular defense and some good pitching from five different hurlers to take the win over the Thunderbirds. The Utes turned a triple play in the top of the fifth inning and John Welsh made two sensational plays in center field to keep SUU at bay.
In the fifth, Utah led 2-1 and the Thunderbirds put runners at first and second with nobody out. Leadoff hitter Greg Marshall then ripped a line drive right at Khoury. SUU had the hit-and-run on, as Khoury snared the liner, tossed to Tyler Kmetko at second base, who then fired to Jay Brossman at first to complete the triple play.
Welsh made a nice running play in left-center field in the third inning. But he saved at least one run in the seventh. With a runner on first base and one out, SUU's Jacob Romney hit a rocket into the right-center field gap. Welsh sprinted toward the wall, back and to his left, and laid out to make a spectacular diving grab.
SUU led 1-0, after scoring a single run off Utah starter Greg Krause in the first. But Ute second baseman Tyler Kmetko pounded a solo home run to left in the bottom of the frame to tie things at 1-1. Utah grabbed a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second, when right fielder Joe Mozeleski scored on a groundout from catcher Josh Bell.
The Utes increased their edge to 3-1 with an unearned run in the sixth. Designated hitter Bret Baldwin doubled with one out. He then scored when Southern Utah's Marshall booted a ground ball off the bat of Mozeleski. Utah then pushed its advantage to 5-1 in the seventh. Khoury doubled off the wall in right-center with one out. He came around when Kmetko followed with a single up the middle. With two outs, Baldwin tripled to left field and later scored on a successful double steal.
Greg Krause (4-0) took the win for the Utes. Shad McCord and Brian Hedman worked two scoreless innings of relief, while Brian Lane hung a zero on the board in the eighth. Utah closer Brad DeVore came on to pitch the ninth. DeVore got into a bit of a jam, allowing a run and bringing the tying run to the plate twice. But he worked his way out of it, preserving the three-run Utah win.
Baldwin had three of Utah's nine hits and scored twice. Khoury was 2-for-5 with a run scored, while Kmetko was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored for the Utes.
Jake Noyes (1-2) suffered the loss for Southern Utah. He worked 5 1/3 innings and allowed three runs - two of which were earned. Dustin Wittwer allowed two runs in 1 1/3 innings of work, before giving way to Kasey Hubbard. Nelson was 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the T-bird offense.
Utah wraps up the regular season Thursday-Saturday, hosting arch-rival BYU in a three-game series at Franklin Covey. All three games begin at 11:30 a.m.
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