The Utah softball team went 4-2 over the weekend, only dropping games against ranked opponents at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, Calif., improving its record to 12-5 on the year.
“I thought we played well. I thought we grew, as a team, a lot,” said head coach Amy Hogue. “We’ve had three weekends in a row on the road to start the season and have played some of the top teams in the country and I have yet to be disappointed with the growth that we’ve had.”
Delilah Pacheco extended her streak of reaching base safely at least once each game to 11 during the tournament. Pitcher Katie Donovan won two games over the weekend to increase her win streak to six and Kay Kay Fronda hit two home runs in the tournament, including Utah’s first grand slam of the year.
“I was just excited and happy [after the grand slam]. I didn’t really believe it at first,” Fronda said. “I was just thinking, ‘Get a base hit,’ and it just happened to be a home run.”
Utah opened up its time in the Golden State against 12th-ranked Oklahoma. The Sooners (10-4) led 2-0 after the top of the third, but the Utes responded by tying the game on a two-run double by Anissa Urtez. The Sooners reclaimed a 4-2 lead in the fourth and scored once in both the sixth and seventh innings to make the final 6-2. Miranda Viramontes took the loss.
The Utes bounced back by defeating Cal State Fullerton 7-2. The game was tied until the bottom of the third when the Utes took a 3-2 lead after Bridget Castro’s first triple of the year brought home Heather Bowen. Utah exploded for a four-run fourth inning, taking a commanding 7-2 lead. Kristen Stewart hit a three-run double, and then Fronda reached on an error, sending Stewart home. Donovan got the win for the Utes.
Utah continued play on Friday against Long Beach State, beating the 49ers 10-5. After the two offenses only registered three hits through the first two innings, both teams erupted for a third-inning scoring spree. Flippen reached on an error, scoring Delilah Pacheco, and then Bowen hit a double to score Flippen.
Stewart crushed her second home run of the year, scoring Bowen and herself to make it 4-0 in Utah’s favor. Long Beach State responded by putting three on the board in the third, but Bella Secaira then scored Fronda in the sixth inning to put Utah up 5-3. In the seventh, Fronda hit her grand slam, and later in the inning, Pacheco hit an RBI single to make it 10-3. Donvan recorded the win for Utah.
Utah faced the No. 1 team in the nation on Saturday, the 2014 and 2015 national champion Florida Gators (16-0). Viramontes was impressive in the 1-0 loss, holding the undefeated Gator offense, which scores an average of eight runs per game, to just one run. Pacheco singled to lead off the game, but Florida pitchers Aleshia Ocasio and Delanie Gourley retired the next 18 Ute batters, and the Gators scored their only run in the fifth. Viramontes took the loss, falling to 3-2 on the year.
Later that day, the Utes beat Cal State Northridge 3-1. Urtez scored in the first, singling Pacheco home. After that, both teams were held scoreless until the sixth inning, when the Matadors tied the game on an error by Castro. In the bottom of the inning, Fronda blasted a two-run homer to give the Utes a 3-1 lead. Donovan got through the seventh inning to ice the win for Utah, putting her overall record at 6-3.
“Kay Kay was a superstar this weekend and helped us win some games for sure,” Hogue said.
Utah closed the tournament on Sunday by topping New Mexico State 10-4. The Utes opened up scoring when Stewart singled, scoring Urtez. The Aggies scored three in the third inning, but Utah responded by scoring two in the bottom of the third, when Fronda tripled and Dickman batted her in to tie the ballgame, 3-3.
Utah scored seven runs in the fourth inning to put the game out of reach. RBI singles from Urtez, Bowen and Stewart made it 6-3, then Dickman crushed a grand slam to put Utah up 10-3. Hailey Hilburn got the win to improve her record to 3-0.
Next up, Utah plays a doubleheader against USF in Tampa, Fla. on March 9. First pitch is at 3 p.m. MST.
@JoeColesChrony