MESA, Ariz. – The championship final showdown at the 2025 University Credit Union Western Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament was set after a dynamic Friday of baseball at Hohokam Stadium.

No. 3 Utah Valley spun the first no-hitter in tournament history to down No. 1 seed Sacramento State 9-1 to open the day, and No. 2 Abilene Christian won a pair of games against No. 7 UT Arlington (9-7) and Sacramento State (7-0) to join the Wolverines in the championship round.

Utah Valley and Abilene Christian will clash on Saturday at 3 p.m. MST, with Utah Valley needing only one win to capture the conference tournament. If Abilene Christian were to win, an ‘if necessary’ game would take place at approximately 7 p.m. MST to determine the WAC champion in a winner-take-all scenario.

Game 9 – No. 3 Utah Valley 9, No. 1 Sacramento State 1 (Box Score)
The Utah Valley duo of Colton Kennedy and Cooper Littledike combined to spin the first no-hitter in WAC Baseball Tournament history, and what was believed to be the first combined in the conference since 2002, in defeating top-seeded Sacramento State in semifinal action. The Wolverines ripped 12 hits of their own and two runs in the fifth, two in the sixth and five in the eighth innings.

Kennedy spun 7.1 innings of one-run baseball, walking three while hitting two and striking out nine on 108 pitches. Littledike pitched the final 1.2 innings with a walk and a strikeout to secure his fifth save of the season.

Mason Strong finished the game 3-for-5 two doubles and two RBIs for Utah Valley on offense, and Brody Block ripped two hits and scored two runs. Jayden Smith logged three RBIs for the Wolverines in the win.

Game 10 – No. 2 Abilene Christian 9, No. 7 UT Arlington 7 (Box Score)
UT Arlington carried a 7-6 lead over Abilene Christian into the top of the eighth inning before the Wildcats pounced with two runs in the eighth and an insurance tally in the ninth. Home runs from Grant Watkins and Diego Cardenas and an RBI double off the bat of Nick Arias provided ACU with the winning tallies.

Zandt Payne recorded a perfect 4-for-4 day at the plate, along with drawing a walk, and scored two runs on the afternoon for ACU. Cardenas finished with two hits, two RBIs and two runs, and Reese Borho drove in four by way of a first inning grand slam.

Tyce Armstrong clubbed a home run and drove in two runs and scored twice for UTA, and Jake Martinez added two RBIs for the Mavericks.

Game 11 – No. 2 Abilene Christian 7, No. 1 Sacramento State 0 (Box Score)
Abilene Christian rode a fantastic start from Chandler Benson in the nightcap to storm into the championship series. Benson threw 139 pitches, 100 for strikes, in a three-hit shutout with two walks and 12 strikeouts against the tournament’s top seeded team.

Grant Watkins reached base four times, ripping three RBIs and scoring a run for ACU. Maddox Miesse came across to score two runs on the night for the Wildcats.