CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – The Utah Valley University softball team found itself on the wrong end of a pair of one-run games on Friday afternoon at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Opening Day. The Wolverines first dropped a 10-9 extra-inning contest to San Diego before concluding the day with a 2-1 setback to Saint Mary's.
 
Despite suffering the setbacks, senior transfer Courtney Beavers went a combined 6-for-8 on the day with three doubles, two runs scored and two stolen bases, while fellow senior Brittney Vansway went 4-for-7 with five RBIs.
 
"I'm really proud of everyone. They truly showed how hard we have been working," said the senior outfielder Beavers. "We still have things to work on, but it was a great start to the season. It's only up from here."
 
GAME ONE VS. SAN DIEGO
Trailing 1-0 in the third, the Utah Valley (0-2) offense got things going when senior Brittney Vansway delivered a two-run double in the top of the third to give UVU a 2-1 lead. With freshman Taylor Miller standing on third and senior Courtney Beavers on first, the three-time All-WAC selection Vansway came through with the two-out double to drive both runners home.
 
With the Wolverines still holding to a 2-1 lead in the fourth, the true freshman Miller blasted out a clutch two-out, two-run home run to extend UVU's lead to 4-1. The long ball marked Miller's first of her collegiate career.
 
USD (3-4) then regained the lead in the last of the fourth by plating seven runs to take an 8-4 lead. The Toreros scored seven runs (three unearned) on four hits and one error in the frame.
 
Utah Valley answered back with a run in the fifth and another in the sixth to pull within a pair of runs at 8-6. After loading the bases, freshman Basia Query drove home UVU's run in the fifth via an RBI single to left, and Vansway then made it a two-run game in the sixth with a sacrifice fly to left for her third RBI of the contest.
 
After holding the Toreros scoreless in both the fifth and sixth innings, the freshman Query delivered the big hit for the Wolverines in the top of the seventh with a game-tying two-run homer to left center to deadlock the score at 8-8. The home run gave the Wolverines new life and was the first of her collegiate career.
 
With the game headed to extra innings and the international tiebreaker in effect, Beavers got the Wolverines off to a nice start in the top of the eighth by legging out a double to put runners on second and third with nobody out. After a lineout by freshman Lyndsay Steverson, Vansway once again delivered the big hit for the Wolverines with an RBI single to right to give UVU a 9-8 lead.

With Utah Valley still holding to its 9-8 lead in the last of the eighth, San Diego managed to get two runners into scoring position to put the pressure on. With two outs and runners remaining on second and third, USD's Olivia Sandusky then blooped a ball into right field to plate both runs and give the Toreros a 10-9 walk-off win.
 
The senior transfer Beavers paced the Wolverine offense in the game by going a perfect 5-for-5 with three doubles and two runs scored from the leadoff spot while fellow senior Vansway followed by going 3-for-4 with four runs batted in and a run scored. Beavers' 5-for-5 outing is good enough for a new Utah Valley school record, besting the previous record of 4-for-4 that was shared by a number of different Wolverines.
 
Junior transfer Lauren Frailey (0-1) took the loss in relief after giving up just one earned run (two total) and four hits in 4.1 innings of solid work.
 
GAME TWO VS. ST. MARY'S
With the game still scoreless in the third inning against the Gaels (3-5), Vansway once again got things going for UVU by driving home her fifth run of the day with an RBI single up the middle to give the Wolverines a 1-0 advantage. Her run-producing single drove home junior transfer Kirsten Andersen, who had previously reached on a fielder's choice.
 
Senior starter Bailey Moore pitched well for the Wolverines in the contest as she didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning and kept SMC off the scoreboard until the sixth. After allowing a hit and a walk in the last of the frame, UVU then went to Frailey out of the bullpen and the Wolverine junior gave up an RBI hit to Hailey Sparacino and an run-producing fielder's choice Jaymee Campbell to give the Gaels their first lead of contest at 2-1.
 
Utah Valley then threatened by loading the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh, but SMC's Katie Moss managed to escape the jam by getting Steverson to flyout to center to end the ballgame.
 
Despite giving up just two runs on two hits, Moore was the tough-luck loser in the contest to drop to 0-1 on the year. St. Mary's' Moss (3-2) was credited with the win after scattering five hits and just one run in the complete-game effort.
 
"I loved the fight we showed today. Things didn't always go our way, but we never quit and we managed to stay right with both teams from start to finish," said the senior pitcher Moore. "Great things are in store for us, and I'm beyond to get on the field again tomorrow (Saturday)."
 
The freshman Miller paced the UVU offense in the ballgame by going 2-for-3, while Beavers, Vansway and Query all posted 1-for-3 outings.
 
UP NEXT FOR UVU
The Wolverines will continue the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Saturday. UVU will first face Cal Poly at 3:30 p.m. MT/2:30 p.m. PT before taking on Loyola Marymount under the lights at 8:30 p.m. MT/7:30 p.m. PT. Utah Valley will then close its opening tournament against UC Davis on Sunday at 11 a.m. MT/10 a.m. PT.