LAS VEGAS – In a late-night contest that began just after 10:20 p.m. local time, the Utah Valley University softball team found itself on the wrong end of a 15-1 five-inning contest to the Creighton Bluejays on Friday night at the Sportco Kick Off Classic in Las Vegas.
 
Errors and walks doomed the Wolverines in the contest, as they gave up a total of 10 combined miscues and free passes.
 
The Big East Bluejays (1-1) were the first to get on the board in the late-night contest, as they managed to push across four runs in the top of the first inning to jump out to a 4-0 advantage. Hope Moreno, Jayci McGill, Victoria Alvarez and Courtney Sandell all drove home runs in the frame for CU.
 
Creighton then added two more runs in the second to extend its lead to 6-0. Both runs came home with two away, and each came just moments after a wild pitch put Bluejay runners in scoring position. 
 
The Wolverines (0-2) then responded with a run of their own in the last of the second to make it a 6-1 game. Following consecutive hits from Basia Query and Taleigh Williams, Abbie Tuttle managed to drive Query home with an RBI infield single to make it a five run deficit. UVU looked for more in the inning with runners on first and second, but CU's Kiele Miller managed to limit the damage by just allowing the one run.
 
The Bluejays then tacked on five unearned runs in the third that were aided by four Wolverine miscues in the inning. Creighton sent a total of 11 batters to the plate in the in the frame en route to taking an 11-1 lead.
 
CU capped its scoring in the fifth by driving home four more unearned runs.
 
As a team, UVU tallied just three hits in the ballgame. Query led the way by going 1-for-1 with a run scored and a walk, while Tuttle went 1-for-2 with an RBI and Williams also went 1-for-2. Moreno led the Bluejays by going a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored.
 
Lexi Sorensen (0-1) got the start in the circle for the Wolverines and suffered her first defeat, while CU's Miller pitched a complete-game three-hitter with seven strikeouts to improve to 1-0 on the season.
 
The contest marked the second game of the day for the Wolverines, as UVU dropped a hard fought 8-3 ballgame to No. 16 Minnesota earlier in the day.
 
The Wolverines will continue the opening tournament with two more games at the Sportco Kick Off Classic in Las Vegas on Saturday. UVU will first face the host UNLV Rebels at 7 p.m. MT/6 p.m. PT, before taking on in-state foe Southern Utah in the nightcap at 9:15 p.m. MT/8:15 p.m. PT. Utah Valley will then close the tournament on Sunday at 12:15 p.m. MT/11:15 a.m. PT.