LAS CRUCES, N.M. – In its fourth game of the 2015 WAC Tournament, the fifth-seeded Utah Valley University softball team had its season come to a close with an 18-3 setback to the top seed and host New Mexico State Aggies on Friday night at the NM State Softball Complex in Las Cruces.
 
The Wolverines close their season with an 18-41 record with the loss, while NM State (44-14) advances to Saturday's championship game with the win.
 
"We came in (to this year's WAC Tournament) seeded last, and I'm proud of the girls for kind of proving people wrong by finishing third," said head coach Nikki Palmer. "They fought hard until the very end of this last game by piecing together some late runs, so I'm proud of their fight and their heart."
 
The Aggies, who previously defeated the Wolverines by a score of 13-3 on Thursday, scored the first 13 runs of Friday's contest to jump out to a 13-0 lead in the fourth. NM State drove home two in the first, six in the second, three in the third and two more in the fourth to take the 13-run advantage.
 
The Wolverines wouldn't go away, however, as they got their offense going in the last of the fourth. UVU, who was playing its second game of the evening, brought in three runs that frame to make it a 13-3 ballgame. After loading the bases with nobody out in the frame, Brittney Vansway delivered a two-run single off the wall in left for UVU's first runs of the contest. The third run later came home on a wild pitch, as Jaylen Watson slid in under the tag of NMSU's pitcher to make it a 10-run deficit.
 
The Aggie offense wasn't done, however, as it tacked on five more runs in the fifth thanks to a grand slam from Emma Adams and a solo round tripper from Kelsey Dodd.
 
"New Mexico State is an incredible program and I hope that they can make it through the end because I think that they are a great representation for our conference," added Palmer. "I have a whole lot of respect for how they play the game. Best wishes to them."
 
Three Wolverine seniors played their final game in a UVU uniform on Friday night and Kelli Gendlek and Megan Peay both went a perfect 1-for-1 off the bench with fifth-inning hits while Erin Romero capped her collegiate career with a 0-for-2 outing at the plate.
 
"All three of these seniors have a tremendous amount of heart and they are a huge part of our team," concluded Palmer. "I was really glad to see them come out and perform tonight."

Four other Wolverines collected hits on the night and Vansway led the way with her fourth-inning two-run single. Bailey Moore (12-21), who started all four games in the circle for UVU at the tournament, suffered the loss after allowing five earned runs in 1.2 innings.
 
Dallas McBride picked up the win for New Mexico State to improve to 17-5 on the year while Adams and Dodd paced the Aggie offense by going a perfect 3-for-3 and 4-for-4, respectively, with 10 combined runs batted in.

With two more double plays turned in Friday's nightcap against NM State, UVU closes the season leading the nation with 45 double plays turned (0.76 per game average). With 45 double plays this season, Utah Valley nearly doubled its previous single-season record of 24 that is turned last season. 
 
UVU, who entered this weekend's league tournament as the defending conference champs, finished its 2015 Tournament run with a 2-2 record. Utah Valley picked up both of its wins over the fourth-seeded Seattle U Redhawks and suffered both of its losses to the top-seeded Aggies.
 
In Saturday's title game, NM State will face-off against No. 3 CSU Bakersfield at 1 p.m. If the Aggies win the first contest, they will force a winner-take-all game at 3:30 p.m.

UVU's Watson and Brianna Gatlin were both named to the WAC All-Tournament Team following Saturday's title game after they each hit an even .500 during the tournament. Watson also slugged out two round trippers and added three RBIs while Gatlin recorded three doubles and three RBIs of her own. 

All-Tournament Team
Paige Bouska, Seattle U
Madison Bundy, Bakersfield
Kelsey Dodd, New Mexico State
Brianna Gatlin, Utah Valley
Marlee Maples, Missouri-Kansas City
Dallas McBride, New Mexico State
Kelsie Monroe, Bakersfield
Sydney Raeber, Bakersfield
Staci Rodriguez, New Mexico State
Jaylen Watson, Utah Valley
MVP: Emma Adams, New Mexico State