SACRAMENTO, California - The Utah Valley State softball team lost two tough games in the opening day of the Capital Classic Softball Tournament. The Wolverines suffered a five-inning 9-0 loss to No. 23 Northwestern and then lost 4-3 to Portland State.

The game against Northwestern was the first time any Wolverine team has played against a ranked team. After beating the Wolverines 9-0, Northwestern turned around and knocked off No. 2 Cal-Berkley 2-1 on a walk-off homerun in the seventh inning.

Utah Valley had only one hit in the loss to Northwestern. In the Portland State game they had five hits including a solo-homerun by Amanda Kendzior in the seventh inning.

Portland State scored two runs in the first inning. The Wolverines then scored two runs in the third inning to tie the game at 2-2.

Emily Cardenas started the inning with an infield single. Sara Roskelley doubled down the right field line. Roskelley went 2-for-3 at the plate in game two to lead Utah Valley State.

Cardenas later scored on a sacrifice by Kelli Wilkins. Roskelley would score on a two-out double by Chris Jimenez.

Portland State took a 4-2 lead in the fifth. Kendzior-??s homerun in the seventh was the only run the Wolverines could muster in the final four innings.

The Wolverines continue play in the Capital Classic on Saturday with a game against Iowa at 1:30 p.m. (MST). The Capital Classic concludes on Sunday with a game against Long Island and Kansas.