RENO, Nev. – With Utah Valley University holding to a 6-3 lead in the last of the seventh, Nevada's Erika Hansen blasted out a two-out grand slam to give the Wolf Pack a 7-6 walk-off win in UVU's final game of the Nevada Classic on Saturday afternoon at Hixson Park. Despite suffering the defeat, the Wolverines won the Nevada Classic title after going 3-1 on the weekend with a pair of wins over Saint Mary's and splitting two games against the host Wolf Pack.
 
Even though UVU (4-9) dropped Saturday's finale, the Wolverines' bats stayed hot all weekend long as they hammered out a total of 11 home runs at the two-day weekend tournament. Freshman Lyndsay Steverson and senior Brittney Vansway led the way, as Steverson clubbed out an impressive five round trippers of her own while Vansway smashed out four. The duo homered in three of the four games, including one each in Saturday's finale against Nevada (14-9).

"We fought hard the whole weekend and I'm very proud of the fight that we showed every single pitch of all four games," sophomore infielder Eryn Sustayta said. "There's always room for improvement, so I'm excited to get back to work this upcoming week."
 
After Nevada scored a single run in the first to take a 1-0 advantage, UVU answered back with a four-run third to take a 4-1 lead of its own. Following back-to-back singles from freshman Caragh Morris and Vansway, Steverson drove out her fifth big fly of the weekend -- with a three-run shot -- to give the Wolverines a 3-1 lead. With runners later leading from first and second, sophomore Eryn Sustayta then drove in freshman Basia Query with an RBI single to make it a 4-1 score.
 
With two outs and nobody on in the fourth, the Wolverines added to their lead with a solo bomb from Vansway. Vansway's fourth homer of the weekend extended UVU's lead to 5-1.
 
The Wolf Pack then chipped away at the deficit with a run of their own in the fifth and another in the sixth to pull within two runs at 5-3, but UVU countered back with an insurance run in the seventh to extend its advantage to 6-3. With two outs in the frame and junior Kristy Snyder standing in scoring position, freshman Taylor Miller drove her home with an RBI single up the middle to give the Wolverines a three-run lead.
 
Nevada didn't go away lightly in the bottom of the frame, as the Wolf Pack loaded the bases with just one away. After UVU cut down a run at the plate for the second out of inning, the Wolf Pack's Hansen delivered the big blow with the game-winning grand slam.
 
UVU junior Lauren Frailey (3-3) took the loss after giving up two runs in a third of an inning, while Nevada's Rachel Rodriguez (1-0) earned the win after allowing just two runs in 4.0 innings of relief.
 
Steverson and Vansway led the Wolverines at the plate in the contst, as Steverson finished 2-for-3 with a walk, three runs batted in and a run scored, while Vansway went 2-for-4 with a two runs scored and a run batted in. In four games on the weekend, Vansway hit a whopping .615 (8-for-13) with four homers, three doubles, 10 RBIs, two walks and seven runs scored, while Steverson hit .538 (7-for-13) with five home runs, 10 RBIs, two walks and five runs scored.  
 
The defeat snapped UVU's four-game winning streak.
 
Behind a pair of home runs from both Steverson and Vansway earlier in the day against Saint Mary's, the Wolverines managed to pull out an 8-7 come-from-behind victory over the Gaels. After the combined four home runs from Steverson and Vansway tied the score at 7-7, UVU won it in the last of the seventh on a SMC throwing error.
 
After the strong weekend, the Wolverines will now return to Orem for a pair of home-opening midweek doubleheaders against Maine and Wagner next week. UVU will first host the Black Bears of the American East Conference on Tuesday at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. before closing the four-game homestand against the Seahawks of the Northeast Conference on Wednesday at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.