HONOLULU – With the bases loaded and Utah Valley University down to its last out trailing by two runs in bottom of the seventh inning, Cera Stanley delivered a clutch single up the middle but the tying run was thrown out at the plate as Portland State managed to escape with an 8-7 win over UVU on Saturday afternoon at the Bank of Hawaii Invitational.
 
Down 8-5 entering the last of the seventh, Morgan Smith started the rally with an infield single. Following back-to-back strikeouts, Brittney Vansway reached on an error to extend the game. Taleigh Williams then came through with an RBI single to make it an 8-6 game. Following a walk to load the bases by Brianna Gatlin, Stanley delivered her single up the middle to plate pinch runner Bryanna Fox. The tying run Williams, who originally stopped at third on the play, was cut down at the plate following an overthrow at home to end the game.
 
Errors plagued the Wolverines (4-9) in the contest, as the Vikings (2-11) managed to score a total of five unearned runs on five UVU miscues.   
 
Trailing 1-0 in the first inning, UVU responded with a run of its own thanks to a solo home run from Hawaii native Tiani Hensley to tie the game at 1-1. PSU then once again regained the lead in the top of the second as they managed to push across an unearned run but the Wolverines countered with two more runs of their own to take a 3-2 advantage. Following a leadoff walk by Williams, Gatlin blasted out a two-run home run to left to give UVU the lead.
 
The Vikings then struck back with four runs in the fourth, one more in the fifth and a final decisive insurance run in the sixth to cap their scoring. UVU also scored a run of its own in the fourth and another in the sixth -- thanks to a pair of RBIs from Dana De La Torre -- before having its comeback fall just short with two runs in the seventh.
 
Gatlin led the Wolverines at the plate in the contest by going a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBIs, three runs scored and two walks, while Williams also put up a two-hit game by going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
 
Brianna Celaya paced the Vikings by going 3-for-4 with two runs batted in and two runs scored.
 
Utah Valley will look to bounce back on Saturday evening when it takes on Hawaii at 7:30 p.m. MT/4:30 p.m. HT.
 
UVU will then conclude play at the Bank of Hawaii Invite on Sunday. The Wolverines will first face Portland State at 1 p.m. MT/10 a.m. HT before wrapping the tournament against the host Rainbow Wahine at 3:30 p.m. MT/12:30 p.m. HT.