The No. 10 University of Utah softball team had a strong start in its doubleheader against the Grand Canyon University Lopes on Tuesday, May 2. In the first game of the day the Utes took an early lead in the first inning, and they maintained it for the rest of the game as they won 9-0. The Utes also took the second game, but they didn’t see action until the final inning where they scored three runs to shut out GCU, 3-0.
“I thought it was a good team win,” said senior Kay Kay Fronda. “Our pitchers went in there throwing strikes and doing their job, and everyone had quality at bat.”
In the first inning of game one, the Utes stopped the Lopes from getting any runs, and they continued this trend for the remainder of the game. In the bottom of the first, Utah quickly put up seven runs. Up first to bat was Delilah Pacheco, who singled to right field, advanced to second and then third on illegal pitches thrown to both Alyssa Barrera and Hannah Flippen.
Flippen walked before stealing second with Anissa Urtez up to bat. Urtez reached first base on a fielding error, allowing Flippen to advance to third, and Pacheco to score the first run of the game. Flippen later followed with her own run after a bunt from Heather Bowen to give Utah a 2-0 lead.
With Bowen and Urtez on base, Bridget Castro singled to left field to load the bases. Kelly Martinez had an RBI to send Urtez home, and BreOnna Castaneda scored Bowen immediately after, giving Utah a 4-0 edge.
Towards the end of the first inning, the Utes put up three more runs that started with a two-RBI triple from Fronda. After cycling through the entire batting rotation, Pacheco returned to the plate, singled to center field, and scored Fronda for the last run of the inning.
Utah added its final two runs in the second, extending their lead to 9-0 after an RBI triple and an RBI sacrifice fly.
In game two of the doubleheader, Utah lost its momentum, and it was not able to score any runs until the final inning. Castro singled up the middle before Martinez reached on a fielder’s choice. Aubrey Peterson came in to pinch run for Castro, and with two runners on base Castaneda hit a three-run home run.
“I think we attacked really well, and we did really good on offense,” Pacheco said. “That’s what we were thinking going into the games was good offense.”
Up next for the Utes, they will jump back into Pac-12 play and head to Corvallis as they face Oregon State for a three-game series that begins on Friday, May 5. Friday and Saturdays games are set to begin at 2 p.m. MT, followed by Sunday’s game at 12 p.m. MT.
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