LAKEWOOD, Calif. – The Utah Valley University softball team concluded play at the Long Beach Louisville Slugger Invitational on Saturday afternoon with a 19-0 five-inning setback to No. 14 UCLA. With the loss, the Wolverines finished the weekend tournament with a 0-4 record.
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UCLA's (14-8) Johanna Grauer and Selina Ta'amilo combined to one-hit the UVU (4-20) offense en route to the shutout victory. Grauer improved to 7-6 on the season after giving up just one hit while striking out two in three innings of work, while Ta'amilo did not allow a hit and struck out five over the final two innings of the ballgame. Utah Valley's
Bailey Moore (2-10) suffered the loss after giving up six runs in 3.1 innings.Â
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The Bruins, who were picked to finish second in the Pac-12 this season, were led offensively by Delaney Spaulding's 3-for-5 performance that included five RBIs and two runs scored. Madeline Jelenicki too drove in five RBIs in the contest for UCLA by going 2-for-4 with two home runs and a pair of runs scored.
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Following a run in the first, UCLA scored three more in the second and six in the third to jump out to a 10-0 lead. Spaulding and Jelenicki each recorded two-run homers in the six-run third. The Bruins then put the game away in the fourth, scoring nine more times. The UVU pitching staff handed out five free passes in the frame and Jelenicki once again delivered the big hit, by blasting out a three-run home run to cap the scoring.
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The Wolverines looked to have their best chance to score in the fifth, following free passes to
Kendall Ohman and
Breezy Roth, but UCLA's Ta'amilo managed to retire the next three batters she faced to preserve the shutout victory for the Bruins.
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Dana De La Torre was the lone Wolverine to record a hit in the contest, with a first-inning two-out single to right. De La Torre finished going 1-for-2 in the ballgame, while
Morgan Smith went 0-for-0 with a walk and a stolen base.
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The contest marked Utah Valley's final preseason tournament game of the season.
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UVU will now return to Orem for their 2016 home opener on Tuesday, March 15 against in-state rival Utah State. The midweek non-conference contest will begin at 2 p.m. at Wolverine Field and will be Utah Valley's lone game of the week.Â
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