SALT LAKE CITY (Interstat) — In a wild, back-and-forth contest defined by a massive early deficit and a relentless comeback, the Utah Utes outslugged the Utah Valley Wolverines 16-9 in nonconference baseball action Tuesday night at Smith’s Ballpark.

The game’s most critical sequence came not at its conclusion, but in its chaotic opening moments. The visiting Wolverines (11-25) ambushed Utah starter Sammy Cova, sending 11 batters to the plate in a stunning top of the first inning. Chipper Beck and Kaden Carpenter launched back-to-back solo home runs, and the onslaught continued with RBI singles from Cooper Brass and Joseph Barnhardt, along with a run-scoring fielder’s choice. By the time Utah recorded the third out, Utah Valley had built a commanding nine-run lead, forcing the Utes to pull Cova after just two-thirds of an inning.

Reliever Cameron Nielson entered and provided essential stability for Utah, halting the bleeding with 2 2/3 innings of one-run ball. That calm allowed the Utes’ offense to begin its monumental response.

Utah (21-15) immediately chipped away in the bottom of the second, catalyzed by Zakye Hawkins. The second baseman, named the game’s top star, launched a two-run homer to left field to get the Utes on the board. The rally snowballed from there. Jake Long and Daniel Arambula followed with RBI hits, with Arambula’s two-run double capping a six-run frame that cut the deficit to 9-6.

The Utes completed their comeback an inning later. Jack Kleveno doubled home Hawkins, and Long delivered a two-run double to tie the game at 9-9, erasing what once seemed an insurmountable lead.

Utah Valley briefly regained the lead in the sixth on a two-run homer from Hunter Katschke, but the Utes’ bullpen, led by a standout performance from Carter Seely, kept the Wolverines in check. Seely tossed three perfect innings of relief for Utah Valley, striking out one, but it was not enough to stifle Utah’s relentless bats.

The Utes seized control for good with a seven-run explosion in the bottom of the seventh, capitalizing on Utah Valley miscues. Hawkins sparked the rally again with a two-run single that was aided by an error. Luke Jacobs, Cameron Gurney and Cal Miller added RBI hits in the inning, turning an 11-9 deficit into a 15-11 lead. Utah added an insurance run in the eighth on another RBI single from Kleveno.

Hawkins finished 2 for 4 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored. Long drove in three runs, while Arambula and Kleveno each had two RBIs. For Utah Valley, Katschke homered and drove in two, while DJ Massey went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two walks.

The victory improved Utah to 21-15 on the season, while Utah Valley fell to 11-25. The two in-state rivals are scheduled to meet again on May 5 at Smith’s Ballpark.

The game dramatically defied pregame projections. Interstat’s game simulator had predicted a 6-1 Utah victory, while its ELO system gave the Utes a 72.2% probability to win, neither accounting for the nine-run outburst that started the game or the 16 unanswered runs Utah would eventually muster to claim it.