The Utah softball team won both games in a doubleheader, beating Robert Morris and San Jose State in the DeMarini Desert Classic on Friday to improve its overall record to 5-3.
Utah walloped Robert Morris (2-4) on Friday morning, beating the Colonials 9-0. In the top of the first, Delilah Pacheco started the game off by reaching third base on an error by Robert Morris third baseman Olivia Lorusso. Hannah Flippen walked, then swiped second to put two runners in scoring position.
Heather Bowen drove in Pacheco to put Utah up 1-0, then Bridget Castro reached first safely on an error by Colonial shortstop Stacey Capp to score Flippen and make it 2-0 in Utah’s favor.
In the third, the Utes broke the ballgame wide open, scoring seven runs in the inning. Bowen started off the scoring parade, scoring Flippen from second and Anissa Urtez from first for her second and third RBIs of the game. Freshman Ally Dickman scored Bowen from third on a sacrifice fly to put Utah up 5-0.
Castro was then knocked in from third base by Bella Secaira to make it 6-0 Utes. Kay Kay Fronda pinch ran for Secaira and promptly stole second base. Pacheco laced a double down the third-base line, scoring Fronda and Stewart for Utah’s seventh and eighth runs of the morning.
A Flippen single drove in Pacheco again to increase the Utes’ lead to nine.
On the defensive side of the ball, three Utah pitchers combined to throw a two-hitter through five innings. Katie Donovan threw the first two innings, sitting the Colonials down in order both frames.
Donovan was replaced by Sammy Cordova, who picked up her first win of the season against Robert Morris. Cordova pitched two innings, allowing one hit and no walks in seven at-bats. Kayce Nieto came on for the fifth inning, allowing one hit and one walk. Colonial pitcher Kaitlin Ellzy took the loss.
Utah and Robert Morris didn’t score in frames four or five, and the mercy rule was called after Taylor Bartlow was struck out by Nieto to end the fifth inning.
After their game against Robert Morris, the Utes continued their winning ways by beating San Jose State 4-0. The Spartans threatened in the first inning when Jessie Hufstetler doubled down the right-field line. Jessica Madrid tried to score from first on the play, but a great throw from Flippen to catcher Shelby Pacheco got her at home.
Flippen followed up her great defensive play with a home run in her first at-bat of the game for Utah’s first run of the game. The Utes stuck again in the bottom of the third inning when Flippen grounded out to Taylor Purdy, scoring Aubrey Peterson — pinch running for Delilah Pacheco — from third base.
In the fourth inning, Castro bombed a home run to make it 3-0 for the Utes.
Ute pitching once again threw a shutout, the fourth of the season for Utah. Miranda Viramontes (3-0) got the start and the win, throwing four strikeouts in five innings, allowing just five hits and one walk. Donovan replaced Viramontes in the sixth inning and walked the first batter she faced, but then she settled down to strike out three straight.
Utah tacked on another run in the sixth inning to take a 4-0 lead when Cordova scored from third after Dickman ground into a 6-3 double play. San Jose State only mustered one hit against Donovan in the seventh.
On Saturday, Utah faces U.C. Davis at 12:15 p.m. MST and Boise State at 2:30 p.m. MST.
@JoeColesChrony