Utah Softball won all five of its games at the DeMarini Desert Classic, defeating Robert Morris, San Jose State, UC Davis, Boise State and Hawai’i by a combined score of 42-1 over the weekend.
“We talked a lot about being dangerous at the plate,” said junior Hannah Flippen, who hit three home runs during the tournament. “When we come in passive, teams go right at us. We talked a lot about being dangerous and hitting that first strike, and I think that was very successful for us.”
Utah wrapped up the tournament by beating Hawai’i on Sunday 9-0. Despite the shutout score, the first three innings were a pitchers’ duel, with both teams combining for one hit. But Utah exploded for nine runs in the fourth inning, its highest scoring inning of the season. Ally Dickman, Kay Kay Fronda, Delilah Pacheco, Anissa Urtez, Heather Bowen and Kristen Stewart all had RBIs in the inning, while Bowen, Stewart and Dickman scored on errors by the Warriors.
Katie Donovan won her third straight game, going five innings, allowing two hits, one walk and striking out seven. Like the others, this game was called in the fifth inning due to the mercy rule.
Head coach Amy Hogue was proud of her defense after the success over the weekend.
“It’s probably the most proud I’ve ever been of a pitching staff I’ve coached,” said Hogue. “It was a complete team effort. I feel like this team has a lot of confidence in what they do defensively.”
It all started on Friday when Utah demolished Robert Morris and San Jose State. The Utes opened up their time in Vegas by beating the Colonials 9-0, scoring twice in the first inning. They then broke the game wide open in the third inning, scoring seven runs. Delilah Pacheco led the Utes on offense, driving in two runs and scoring two runs herself.
Katie Donovan picked up her first win of the season, allowing no hits, no walks and no runs through two innings. Sammy Cordova and Kayce Nieto threw the last three innings combined, only allowing two hits and one walk. The game was called in the fifth inning due to the mercy rule.
Utah followed up Robert Morris by facing the Spartans. The Utes scored their fewest runs of the tournament against the Spartans, who held Utah to just four.
Flippen opened the first inning by blasting a solo homer to left field. In the third, Utah added another run after Aubrey Peterson scored from third on a ground-out by Flippen. Bridget Castro homered to center field for her first home run on the year to make it 3-0, Utes.
Miranda Viramontes remained undefeated, pitching five innings and allowing five hits but no runs.
On Saturday, Utah improved its winning streak to four, beating UC Davis and Boise State. Utah scored 11 runs, its highest of the year, against the Aggies. The Utes scored four runs in the first inning via RBIs from Bowen, Stewart and Dickman.
Utah tacked three more runs on in the second. Home runs from Flippen and Bowen put the Utes up 7-0. Utah increased its lead to 11 on an Urtez RBI, two-run Stewart home run — her first of the season. Fronda also blasted her first dinger, a solo homer to center field.
Donovan improved her record to 2-3, limiting UC Davis to three runs and striking out four Aggies. Hailey Hilburn finished off the game, holding UC Davis to a run and a walk. This game was also called in the fifth inning.
Shortly after the Aggie game ended, the Utes defeated the Broncos to finish off the day. Utah exploded for five runs in the second inning, after being held scoreless in the first. Fronda drove in two runs, then Flippen hit a three-run home run to center field to put the Utes up 5-0.
In the third, Bowen bombed a solo homer to left field for her second of the year. Utah scored three runs in the seventh frame to put the game out of reach for Boise State.
The Broncos scored one unearned run in the seventh, the only run an opponent would score against the Utes in Las Vegas, after a passed ball scored Makenzie Sullivan.
Viramontes remained undefeated, earning her fourth win of the season. Viramontes gave up three hits and one walk in three innings of work, striking out five. Hilburn and Nieto finished off the game, combining to allow two hits and one walk.
Next up, the Utes travel to Cathedral City, Calif. for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. Utah will play six games in four days, facing No. 9 Oklahoma, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, No. 1 Florida, Cal State Northridge and New Mexico State.
@JoeColesChrony