PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – Utah Valley University scored four runs in the top of the sixth to earn a come-from-behind, 5-3, win over Nevada on Friday at Nancy Almaraz Stadium at the 2020 Puerto Vallarta Challenge.
 
Abby Doughty went 3-for-3 and freshman Katie Zuniga got her first career win as the Wolverines improved to 2-1 on the season. Zuniga threw 3.1 scoreless innings in relief, coming in for starter Devyn Cretz in the third inning. Then, with two on and two out in the sixth and UVU nursing a 5-3 lead, Zuniga handed the ball back to Cretz, who retired the final four hitters in order to end it and earn the save.
 
"The girls competed. That's it. They didn't get down and decided they were going to fight for the win. Nevada made a couple mistakes and we capitalized but bottom line, these girls wanted this win," said UVU head coach Stacy May-Johnson. "Two days in a row now and Katie's shown a lot of grit and intensity. She can definitely help this staff be really successful."
 
"I wasn't really sure what to expect. I was nervous but once I settled down and regrouped, I knew what I was able to do. (To get that first collegiate win) feels really good," said Zuniga.
 
With UVU down 3-1 in the sixth, Siena Sandoval and Doughty both singled to begin the inning and, with one out, Peyton Prigge reached on an infield single that loaded the bases. Basia Query legged out a slow chopper to third and everyone was safe, with pinch-runner Laynee Betancur scoring to make it 3-2.  The Wolverines took the lead when Linnah Rebolledo's chopper towards the middle was thrown away and all three runners scored.
 
Query and Prigge both had two-hit days for Utah Valley while five different Nevada players each had two hits, combining for 10 of the 11 on the day for the Wolf Pack (0-3). The Wolverines finished with 10 hits.
 
Nevada got a pair of two-out, RBI hits to break through in the bottom of the first. Kenzi Goins drove in the first run with a single to center and the scored the second run when Mele Tausinga tripled into the corner in right to give the Wolf Pack a 2-0 lead after one.
 
Charli McLendon had an RBI single in the third that scored Goins and extended Nevada's lead to 3-0. Zuniga then came on in relief and stranded both runners to limit the damage.
 
Utah Valley got on the board in the fifth with a sacrifice fly from Lyndsay Steverson, setting up the decisive sixth inning.
 
The Wolverines will round out their weekend in Mexico on Saturday with a 10 a.m. CT/9 a.m. MT first pitch against Long Beach State.