POCATELLO, Idaho – The Utah Valley University softball team split a pair of games with Idaho State on Thursday afternoon at Miller Ranch Stadium in Pocatello. After taking the first game of the doubleheader, 6-2, the Bengals responded to take the finale by a score of 6-3 to split the non-conference twin bill.
The Wolverines improve to 8-12 on the season with the doubleheader split, while ISU moves to 7-13.
Despite splitting the two games,
Brittney Vansway and
Basia Query led UVU at the plate on the day by each going 4-for-7. Vansway belted out her seventh home run of the year in game number two, as well as tallying three RBIs and a run scored, while Query added a double and a run scored of her own. Utah Valley starter
Lauren Frailey too had a solid day for the Wolverines by going the distance in the opener, and allowing just one earned run in nine innings of work.
GAME ONE
With the opening game of the day all knotted up at 1-1 after one inning of play,
Courtney Beavers singled home
Kirsten Andersen in the second to give the Wolverines an early 2-1 lead. Beavers' RBI knock came with two outs in the inning and drove in Andersen who had previously reached base in the frame on an error.
The Wolverines then extended their lead to 5-1 in the third thanks to a two-run double from
Taylor Miller. Miller's RBI hit drove in both
Lyndsay Steverson and Query, and Miller herself came all the way around to score on the play as well on an ISU throwing error.
The Bengals then countered back with a run in the last of the third on an RBI single from Ashlyn Ames, but the Wolverines answered with a run of their own in the fourth to make it a 6-2 score. Vansway drove home UVU's run in the fourth via a sacrifice fly to give the Wolverines a four-run advantage. The sacrifice fly marked Vansway's fifth on the year and ninth of her career, which is a new UVU school record.
Frailey (5-3) went the distance in the circle for the Wolverines en route to earning her third complete-game victory of the season. Frailey gave up just one earned run while scattering eight hits and striking out a season-high five batters in the ballgame. She also pitched scoreless frames in the second, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings, as well as facing the minimum in four of those five frames.
As a team the Wolverines tallied a total of 13 hits in the ballgame, and Beavers led the way by going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Andersen, Steverson and Query all too had nice outings by each tallying two hits apiece.
GAME TWO
Utah Valley once again got off to a strong start in the second game of the day thanks to a two-run first-inning home run from Vansway. Vansway's two-run shot to left-center also drove in Beavers, who had previously led off the ballgame with a walk.
The Wolverines held the 2-0 advantage until the third, when ISU's Ames belted out a three-run homer to give the Bengals a 3-2 lead. The Idaho State lead didn't last long, however, as UVU countered back with a run of its own in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 3-3. After Utah Valley loaded the bases, Beavers drew a bases loaded walk to force in
Taleigh Williams and deadlock the score at 3-all.
Idaho State then answered back with three more runs in the last of the fourth to take a 6-3 lead. Former Wolverine
Haley Harrison drove home the first run of the frame for the Bengals with an RBI single to center. ISU then tacked on its second run of the inning on a UVU throwing error and later capped its scoring with a sacrifice fly from Ames.
With the Bengals still holding to the 6-3 lead, UVU threatened in both the sixth and seventh innings, but ISU starter Mariah Mulcahy managed to escape both jams to seal the victory.
Mulcahy (4-3) went the distance for the Bengals to earn the win, while UVU reliever
Angelica Ponce (1-1) was tagged with the loss after giving up three runs in a third of an inning.
Vansway led the Wolverines offensively in the game by going 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and a run scored, while Query finished 2-for-4. Harrison and Sarah Hayes led ISU by both going 3-for-4 for the Bengals at the plate.
UP NEXT FOR UVU
The Wolverines will now be off until March 31-April 1 when they'll head to Las Cruces, New Mexico, to open Western Athletic Conference play at the defending conference champion New Mexico State Aggies. The three-game league series will open with a single game on Friday, March 31 and a doubleheader on Saturday, April 1.
