OREM, Utah – The Utah Valley University softball team managed to drive home a pair of seventh-inning runs but it wasn't enough, as it dropped a non-conference contest to Idaho State on Tuesday afternoon at Wolverine Field by a score of 5-3.
 
With the loss, the Wolverines fall to 5-30 on the season while ISU improves to 18-17 with the win.
 
"It's nice to see the fight in the seventh, but that is something that we need to show for the entire game," head UVU coach Nikki Palmer said. "We've got a lot of adjustments to make, luckily we have the talent to be able to make those. Now we just need to find the heart to get us some wins."
 
The Bengals struck first with a pair of first-inning runs to jump out to an early 2-0 advantage. After loading the bases, Ashlyn Ames and Alex Portesi each drove home a run via a single and fielder's choice, respectively, to take the early lead.  
 
The Wolverines then countered back with a run in the second to cut the deficit in half. Kristy Snyder started the rally with a double to left and later came around to score on a sacrifice fly from Kori Barrios to make it a 2-1 ballgame.
 
The score remained 2-1 until the sixth, when ISU added an unearned run to take a 3-1 lead. The Bengals then added two more key insurance runs in the seventh to extend their lead to 5-1. Ashley Morris and Sarah Hayes both delivered RBI singles in the frame to give ISU a little breathing room.
 
Trailing 5-1 in the last of the seventh, the Wolverines managed to string together a late rally by scoring twice on back-to-back two-out doubles, but it wasn't enough as the Bengals managed to hold on for the 5-3 victory. With Morgan Smith standing on third with two away, Tiani Hensley doubled to left for the first run of the frame. Brittney Vansway then immediately followed with an RBI double of her own to left center to make it 5-3 ballgame. With the tying runner at the plate, Taleigh Williams then flew out to center to end the threat and the game.
 
Vansway paced the Wolverine offense by going 1-for-2 with an RBI double and a pair of walks, while Hensley finished with a 1-for-3 outing with an RBI double of her own and a run scored. Aubrey Creekmore led the Bengals by going 3-for-3 off the bench with a run scored.
 
ISU's Ames (8-9) earned the win in relief in the circle after giving up just two runs and three hits while striking out three in 3.1 innings of work, while Makayla Shadle (1-4) was tagged with the loss for UVU after giving up two runs on seven hits in four innings.  

After getting hit by a pitch in the third inning, Breezy Roth became Utah Valley's all-time leader in getting hit by pitches as she has now been plunked 13 times in her career. The sophomore left-handed hitter passed Meghan Yocom's previous mark of 12. 

Tuesday's contest marked the Lace Up game for UVU, where it wore gold shoelaces in its cleats to help raise awareness for pediatric cancer awareness. The initiative was part of the Go4theGoal Foundation. The Go4theGoal Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping kids with cancer achieve their goals. Their mission is to improve the lives of children battling cancer by providing financial support, developing and implementing unique hospital programs, funding innovative research, and granting personal wishes. Go4theGoal provides the best practices to patients, their families, and the hospitals and staff that care for them.
 
The Wolverines will now hit the road to return to Western Athletic Conference play at Missouri-Kansas City this weekend (April 15-16). UVU and UMKC will open the three-game league series with a doubleheader on Friday afternoon before closing the series with a single-game on Saturday.