LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The three-seeded Seattle University Redhawks scored seven unanswered runs en route to handing No. 2 Utah Valley University an 8-5 setback in UVU's 2017 Western Athletic Conference Tournament opener on Thursday afternoon at the NM State Softball Complex in Las Cruces.
 
With the setback, the two-seeded Wolverines (16-23) will now play again on Thursday evening in an elimination game. UVU will face the No. 4 UMKC Kangaroos tonight at approximately 7:30 p.m. MT in a win-or-go-home contest.
 
The Redhawks (19-30) struck first in the ballgame, as they drove home an unearned run in the top of the first inning to jump out to a 1-0 advantage. Nicole Bolasky started the inning with a leadoff single and advanced to second on a UVU fielding error. She later reached third on a groundout and came in to score on an RBI single from SU's Kaylee Ree.
 
UVU then loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the second inning and came through by driving in a trio of two-out runs to take a 3-1 lead. After Courtney Beavers forced the bases full by reaching on a fielder's choice, the WAC Freshman of the Year Caragh Morris drove in the first two runs with a clutch two-run single through the left side to take a 2-1 advantage. First Team All-WAC selection Brittney Vansway then followed by reaching on a Redhawk error to cause Beavers to allow Beavers to come home from third to score UVU's third run of the frame.
 
Seattle U then responded by scoring runs in the third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings to take the lead for good.
 
SU started its seven-run stretch with a pair of runs in the top of the third to tie the game at 3-all. The Redhawks then regained the lead with another run in the fourth to take a 4-3 advantage. With two outs and a runner on first, Jessica Flanagan delivered an RBI double to left-center to give SU the one-run lead.
 
SU then pushed its lead to 6-3 in the sixth thanks to driving in a pair of insurance runs. Sara Dominguez and Flanagan each picked up an RBI apiece in the frame to extend Seattle's lead.
 
Seattle U then capped its scoring in the top of the seventh thanks to a two-run home run from Savannah Loomis to make it 8-3.
 
Following a single from Lyndsay Steverson and a walk from Taleigh Williams with one out in the last of the seventh inning, UVU's Basia Query smacked a two-run double to right-center to drive in both pinch runner Kalli Suesue and Williams to make it 8-5. Query tried to turn the double into a triple on the play, however, and was thrown out at third for the second out of the inning, while SU's Larkins followed by striking out Taylor Miller to end the ballgame.
 
Utah Valley had runners on in each of the first, second, third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings, but Seattle's Larkins did a nice job of pitching out of jams in the contest by stranding a total of eight Wolverines on the basepaths in the game.
 
Larkins (11-20) earned the complete-game win in the circle for the Redhakws after giving up just four earned runs on seven hits in the game, while the WAC Pitcher of the Year Lauren Frailey (12-9) took the loss for the Wolverines in the circle after allowing six earned runs in 7.0 innings of work.
 
Query paced UVU at the plate in the contest by going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored, while fellow freshman Steverson added a 2-for-4 outing of her own. Flanigan led SU with a perfect 2-for-2 outing with two runs batted in and a run scored.