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The season was three innings from being over, and the Utes needed a trickle of hope.

What they got in the bottom of the seventh inning was a waterfall. With two outs, Utah put six straight runners on base en route to a seven-run inning to rally past Washington, 12-8, in Game 2 of their Pac-12 baseball series. The Utes (24-27, 18-11) clinched a share of the Pac-12 title and can win it outright with a victory over the Huskies on Sunday.

During the pivotal seventh inning, four Washington (32-20, 17-12 Pac-12) pitchers combined to hit two U. batters while giving up five hits and two walks.

"We definitely had momentum in our hands, and we just kept going with quality at-bats," said Utah catcher AJ Young, who had two RBIs. "We're just trying to live pitch-by-pitch, whether it's the first game or the last game."

Relievers Hunter Rodriguez (2-1) and Dylan Dracher held the Huskies to one run over the final four innings to seal the win.

Rodriguez gave up four hits and one run in 21⁄3 innings, while Drachler bounced back from allowing the go-ahead run in Utah's 5-4 loss Friday by striking out two in the top of the ninth.

While the seventh-inning rally stole the show, the fourth inning featured two of the game's most exciting moments: A solo home run and an inside-the-park home run.

Josh Rose smacked a solo home run to cut Washington's lead to 4-3. Three at-bats later, freshman DaShawn Keirsey hit a line drive to center field that was misplayed. Kody Davis scored, and Keirsey blazed around the bases and beat a tag attempt at the plate for an inside-the-park homer.

"He is so fast — he's brilliant at that," Utah coach Bill Kinneberg said. "It kind of lit a fire under us. It was a big key moment for us."

Washington responded with three runs against three U. pitchers the next inning.

If the Utes lose Sunday, the Huskies will earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament based on their head-to-head tiebreaker advantage.

But a tie just wouldn't do for this Utes' underdog story.

"I want this group to play in a [NCAA] regional," Kinneberg said. "That would be the ultimate gift for these guys. An unbelievable job, an unbelievable way to end the day. But the guys didn't dogpile. All they were saying was 'One more game.'"

The Utes, who have finished last in the Pac-12 the past four seasons, would be one of the more unlikely conference champion contenders in the NCAA Tournament, which they have qualified for just twice since 1960.

Utah's starter Sunday is lefty Josh Lapiana, who is 3-1 against Pac-12 competition with a 3.72 ERA. The Utes are 8-1 in the third games of Pac-12 series this season. —

Washington at Utah

P Sunday, noon

TV • Pac-12 Network