VINEYARD, Utah (Interstat) — A dominant relief performance by Cooper Littledike and a five-run sixth inning propelled the Utah Valley Wolverines to a 5-1 victory over the Northern Colorado Bears in nonconference baseball Monday evening at Brent Brown Ballpark.

The game, which began in the afternoon and concluded under the lights, was a pitchers’ duel for five innings before the Wolverines’ offense erupted to secure the series sweep after taking three of four games over the weekend. Utah Valley improved to 9-7 overall, while Northern Colorado fell to 2-17.

Northern Colorado scratched across an unearned run in the fourth inning to break a scoreless tie. With runners at the corners and two outs, Jake Mooser hit a ground ball to second baseman Burke Beck, whose throwing error allowed Cade Minic to score from third.

That lone run was supported by a brilliant start from Northern Colorado’s Lucas Stone. The right-hander tossed four hitless innings, walking one and striking out four while keeping the Wolverines off balance. He was lifted after 74 pitches following a leadoff single in the fifth.

The game’s defining shift came in the bottom of the sixth against Bears reliever Colton Hudson. Cole Katschke led off with a double, and pinch-hitter Ty Block followed with a single. A walk loaded the bases with one out. Hudson struck out the next two batters, but with two outs, Kaden Carpenter lined a two-run single to right field, giving Utah Valley a 2-1 lead. Carpenter then stole second, and Beck was hit by a pitch.

A pitching change brought in Jax Pfister for Northern Colorado, but a wild pitch allowed a third run to score. Catcher Mason Strong then delivered the decisive blow, a two-run single through the left side to cap the five-run outburst and extend the lead to 5-1.

The most important part of the game was Utah Valley’s two-out rally in that sixth inning. After Hudson recorded two strikeouts and was one out away from escaping the jam, Carpenter’s clutch hit changed the game’s momentum entirely, opening the floodgates for the Wolverines.

Utah Valley’s bullpen was flawless, combining for 6 1/3 innings of scoreless, two-hit relief after starter Ray Hernandez allowed one unearned run over four innings. The star was Littledike, who entered with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the sixth, protecting a 1-0 deficit. He struck out the first batter he faced and got a flyout to end the threat, then pitched two more perfect innings with three strikeouts to earn the win.

Northern Colorado out-hit Utah Valley 7-6 but went 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 baserunners. The Bears loaded the bases in the fifth and sixth innings but failed to score.

The Wolverines continue their homestand Monday, March 16, against Cincinnati. Northern Colorado returns home to begin a three-game series against Saint Thomas (Minn.) on Friday, March 13.