In the first game of a season-opening doubleheader, Cal State Bakersfield scored twice in the seventh inning to seal a 6-5 victory over visiting and defending Pacific-12 Conference champions Utah on Saturday afternoon.

Senior second baseman David Metzgar drove in three runs for the Roadrunners, while starting pitcher Max Carter pitched five strong innings with six strikeouts but reliever Naithen Dewsnap earned the victory in relief.

Metzgar’s fourth inning triple helped give the Runners a 4-2 lead against the Utes.

In the seventh, with the score tied 4-4, the Runners got a run when Mark Pena hit an infield single that scored pinch runner Cole Valletta. Later in the inning Metzgar sacrificed to right field to score Ryan Grotjohn.