Three errors in the top of the third inning buried the Cougars (3-6) on Thursday in their 4-0 series opening loss to Utah Valley.

Sophomore short stop Jack Strunc bobbled a ground ball, allowing freshman Trevor Howell to reach first. After a sacrifice bunt advanced Howell to second the UVU second baseman scored on an error by redshirt junior Trek Stemp. The Wolverines (5-5) tacked on two more runs in the inning to take a 3-0 lead.

“It’s irritating but we need to compete more in every aspect,” Hamilton said after the game. “Pitching, fielding, catching and hitting, we just need to improve on it and grow up fast.”

WSU right-handed starting pitcher Ian Hamilton (0-3) kept UVU off the scoreboard over the next three innings, allowing just one hit. Hamilton allowed his only earned run of the night in the top of the seventh off a sacrifice fly to left by senior Jordan Schlehuber to score junior catcher Zac Willis.

“I thought Ian pitched a really good game,” WSU Head Coach Marty Lees said postgame. “That’s his second out he’s come out and done a fine job. He’s located pitches, made his pitches and unfortunately we haven’t played great defense behind him. Those guys are going to get better and we’re going to improve that part.”

Wolverines senior right-handed starter Danny Beddes (2-1) shut down the Cougars offense over six innings of work allowing just three hits and four walks while striking out seven. Stemp, who extended his hitting streak to nine games, senior third baseman Patrick McGrath and redshirt sophomore outfielder Dugan Shirer recorded the only three hits for WSU.

However, the redshirt junior second baseman expressed frustration after the game and said it’s time to start winning, even if he’s not getting hits.

“At this point absolutely not,” Stemp said when asked if his hit streak matters to him. “I mean I guess getting a hit every game kind of shows I want to compete at the plate, but it’s not doing anything for us until we start winning games. I would give up any hits I’ve gotten this entire season to win some games – I’d go 0-for-4 if we could scratch some wins out out of there.”

Utah Valley added four more runs in the top of eight to extend their lead to 8-0. After freshman left-handed relief pitcher Ryley Widell loaded the bases with only one out, sophomore right-hander Colby Nealy allowed two runs in consecutive at-bats to give UVU at 6-0 lead off a ground ball and a wild pitch.

Howell finished inning off with a two-out, two-run single to right field scoring Willis and senior outfielder Craig Brinkerhoff to extend the Wolverines lead to 8-0. WSU failed to muster a comeback attempt in the bottom of the ninth as McGrath was the only player to reach on an infield single.

Game two of the four-game series is set for 4 p.m. on Friday at Bailey-Brayton Field. Freshman right-hander Ryan Ward is expected to start for WSU on Friday with sophomore left-hander Jackson Cofer starting for Utah Valley.