April 1, 2011
Box Score
SALT LAKE CITY - Utah Valley led 2-0 early over Southern Utah Friday morning in the opening game of the UVU Invitational at Ute Softball Field in Salt Lake City but the T-Birds scored six late inning runs to defeat the Wolverines 6-2. UVU will wrap-up play at the UVU Invitational with two more games at the University of Utah Saturday beginning at 11:30 a.m.
"We need better production outside of our first four or five batters," UVU head coach Todd Fairbourne said. "We also need to learn how to rise to the moment. When the moment calls for us to step-up our game we need to raise our level of play as a team."
The Wolverines (7-15) got out to the 2-0 lead as they scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Deianna Russell delivered the big hit in the inning as she plated Mandy Tapia from third with an RBI single through the left side of the infield. On the same play Amanda Robinson came around to score from second base thanks to a fielding error by SUU's (14-18) outfielder.
The Thunderbirds starting pitcher Heather Black then settled down as she held UVU scoreless the rest of the way.
The Wolverines held the 2-0 lead until the fifth when the T-Birds managed to score their first runs of the game off of UVU starting pitcher Kyli Flanary. SUU put a four-spot on the board in the frame as the big hit was delivered from Darleen Fernandez by the way of a two-run homer.
SUU then tacked on two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh to pull out the pull out the win.
Black pitched the entire game for the T-Birds and was credited with the win while Flanary went the distance for the Wolverines and suffered the loss.
As a team UVU finished with just six hits. Three players finished with a multiple hit game however as Meghan Yocom went 2-for-3, Robinson 2-for-4 and Russell 2-for-2.
The Wolverines will conclude play at the UVU Invitational this weekend with two more games Saturday. UVU will first look for revenge against SUU when the meet at 11:30 a.m. The Wolverines will then take on the University of Utah on their home field at 4:30 p.m.
In all there will be four games taking place Saturday at Ute Softball Field in Salt Lake City and admission is free to the public. First pitch is slated for 9 a.m. when SUU and Northern Colorado meet.
As a note the tournament was originally scheduled to take place at UVU in Orem but due to renovations to Wolverine Field it was moved to Ute Softball Field.
