It was the Katie Donovan and Miranda Viramontes show as the Utah softball team beat Weber State 4-0 at Dumke Family Softball Field on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon, ending the Wildcats’ nine-game win streak.
“It felt to good to go out there and play at home again, and we had really solid defense today, so it felt good to go out there and do my part,” Donovan said.
The sophomore Donovan – the best pitcher in the Utes’ rotation – held Weber State’s powerful offense, which averaged almost six runs per game coming into the Utah series, scoreless through four innings.
Donovan struck out five Wildcats and got herself out of a bases loaded situation to shutout Weber State through 4.1 innings pitched, while Viramontes entered with the bases full and escaped from the situation after inducing a double play from the first batter she faced.
“They [Donovan, Viramontes, and Hailey Hilburn] had a great combined effort,” said Utah head coach Amy Hogue. “I feel that we threw all the stuff that we wanted to, and one walk and a shutout is a big success for us.”
In the first inning, Donovan, wearing her trademark protective facemask, breezed through the Wildcat’s 1-2-3 hitters, putting them down in order.
The Utes drew first blood in the bottom of the first after a hustle double for Delilah Pacheco set up Anissa Urtez’s 26th RBI of the year — a single to score Pacheco — which then turned into a double after a bad throw by JaeCie Wilson.
Donovan added her second and third strikeouts of the day in the second inning and remained perfect through two, shutting down Weber State’s 4-5-6 batters. In the bottom of the frame, Kay Kay Fronda earned her 13th RBI after hitting a sacrifice fly to deep center to bring home Kristen Stewart, putting the Utes up 2-0.
Weber State got its first hit in the third inning – a single to left field by McKinley Brinkerhoff – and the Wildcats loaded the bases with one out but couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity. Donovan added her fourth strikeout and coaxed a flyout to Fronda to get out of the inning unscathed.
Utah went down quickly in the bottom of the third, only managing one hit. In the top of the fourth, Donovan held the Wildcats scoreless, only allowing one hit in the inning. The Utes went down in the fourth with only a single hit for the second inning in a row.
The Wildcats loaded the bases in the fifth inning with only one out, and Hogue pulled Donovan. Viramontes entered the game and got Alyson Kulp to hit into a 4-6-3 double play to keep Weber State from getting a run on the board.
“I was thinking, ‘Just go in relaxed and pitch what my coaches want’ — they had a plan, and my job was to execute that plan,” Viramontes said.
In the bottom of the fifth, Bowen hit her team-leading 32nd RBI, bringing home Urtez to push the Utes’ lead to three.
Viramontes put the Wildcats down in order in the top of the sixth, and Hilburn – pinch-hitting for Shelby Pacheco – grounded out, sending Stewart home from third to put Utah up 4-0.
Hilburn entered to pitch in the seventh inning and put the Wildcats down in order to clinch the win for the Utes.
“It feels good because finally all three of us worked together and got this combined shutout win,” Viramontes said.
Donovan earned the win, improving her record to 13-7. Next up for the Utes is a three-game series with No. 24 Arizona State. The series will be held April 16-18 at Dumke Family Softball Stadium.
@JoeColesChrony