SANTEE, Calif. – Utah Valley University's seventh-inning comeback bid fell just short as it dropped the San Diego Classic II finale to Santa Clara by a score of 3-2 on Sunday morning at the Sportsplex USA Santee.
 
The Wolverines (11-16) finished going 2-3 at their final preseason tournament with the loss.
 
"The girls never quit so it was nice to see them fight back there at the end. But ultimately we just didn't finish," said head coach Nikki Palmer.
 
Trailing 3-0 entering the final stanza, UVU managed to piece together a one-out rally that was aided by a Bronco (8-19) error. With a runner on first, sophomore Brittney Vansway delivered a double down the leftfield line to put runners on second and third with just one away. Freshman Taleigh Williams then drove home the first run of the game for the Wolverines with a single up the middle. Sophomore Hailey Kofler then made it a 3-2 game with a sacrifice fly to left but SCU's Ciara Gonzales managed to escape out of the jam by striking out junior pinch hitter Dynasty Lauvai to end the game.
 
Gonzales held on to record the complete-game victory for the Broncos to improve to 7-8 on the season. The SCU right-hander shined in the circle as she scattered four hits and gave up two unearned runs while fanning five and not walking a batter. UVU sophomore Bailey Moore (7-9) took the loss after giving up one earned run (three total) in 3.2 innings of work.
 
Santa Clara broke a scoreless tie in the fourth thanks to a two-out rally. Jordan Newell started the scoring for the Broncos with a solo home run to center. Following a Wolverine error and a single, SCU's Ellie Fisher delivered the big blow with a two-RBI single into left to give the Broncos a 3-0 advantage at the time.
 
Ashley Haney and Breezy Bernard each recorded two hits in the ballgame for Santa Clara of the West Coast Conference while Fisher finished with a 1-for-3 outing with two RBIs and a walk.
 
Williams paced UVU at the plate by recording two of its four hits in the contest. Williams finished going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
 
Junior Kailey Christensen entered the contest in the fourth inning and pitched well for UVU, as she didn't allow a run in 3.1 innings of scoreless relief. Christensen gave up just one hit while striking out three.    
 
Despite suffering the setback, UVU still holds a 6-2 all-time series advantage over SCU.
 
The Wolverines will now return to Orem for next week's home openers. UVU will first face in-state foe Weber State on Wednesday (March 18) before welcoming Oklahoma State of the Big 12 Conference to town on Thursday (March 19). Both days will feature doubleheaders and Wednesday's versus the Wildcats will kick-off at 2 p.m. while Thursday's against the Cowgirls will begin at 1 p.m.