After a solid start to the conference season, the U softball team took on UVSC Tuesday afternoon and continued to take strides toward becoming a better team.
The Utes were down early in the contest 1-0, as Shyanne Durrant launched a shot off of Brianna Gourdin.
But the Utes responded.
In the fourth inning, Ute third baseman Melissa Stahnke ripped a single to left, which scored two runs.
Second baseman Devina Quintero, who was named MWC Player of the Week, then scored on a Ivette Hernandez home run.
Hernandez finished the game with two home runs.
Utah ended the inning with a 5-1 lead and soon extended that advantage to 8-1.
“We played really well today, especially at the plate,” U outfielder Lynsey Wall said.
The pitching was not that bad either, especially Gourdin’s play.
Gourdin was named the MWC Pitcher of the Week and showed why against the Wolverines.
She only allowed a run and was taken out in the sixth, but was put back in after UVSC scored four runs to finish the game.
Over the weekend, the team split doubleheaders with UNLV and San Diego State and Wall believes the team has solved just about every major issue the team has had to deal with throughout the beginning of the season.
“We are playing really well and I think we have come a long way and have dealt with all the issues that we have had,” Wall said.
“We are ready to go and it’s time for us to get in gear and win our games.”
Now the team will head down south to play BYU in yet another doubleheader.
The Cougars also split with UNLV and San Diego State in their conference-opening games. BYU is 20-11 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
But Wall believes the Utes will do well in Provo.
“We are feeling good and we are going to go down there and kick their butts,” Wall said.