SANTA CLARA, Utah — Linnah Rebolledo's fifth-inning grand slam gave Utah Valley University the lead and the Wolverines went on to complete the come-from-behind win over Southern Utah University, 9-7, on Saturday at Archie H. Gubler Park.
 
Kyla Hardy also delivered her first career home run during the six-run fifth — and also doubled home two runs — and UVU (4-2) erased a 5-0 deficit to win the first of three against the Thunderbirds (2-11). With UVU down 5-0 in the fourth and two runs already in for SUU, Kaycie Jensen came in to pitch with the bases full, two down and a 3-0 count on the hitter and threw three straight strikes to get the Wolverines out of the inning without any further damage. 
 
"This is a really tough team and they just play like they don't know what the score is," said UVU head coach Stacy May-Johnson. "We also have incredibly resilient relief pitching. I brought in Kaycie in a tough spot and she got us out of the jam and gave us a huge momentum shift."
 
The offense responded, chipping away at the deficit with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Basia Query, Siena Sandoval and Rebolledo had three straight singles to load the bases with nobody out. Two hitters later, Rien Milliken got UVU on the board with a sacrifice fly that scored Query. Hardy followed with a two-out, two-run double, and the score was 5-3.
 
Southern Utah added a run in the top of the fifth to go ahead 6-3 and had the bases full with two outs when Rebolledo flashed her glove in left, making a diving catch on a line drive towards the gap that likely saved three runs.
 
In the decisive home half of the fifth, Utah Valley again loaded the bases with nobody out on an error, a walk and a Query single. Sandoval drew a bases-loaded walk to score Madison Carr and make it 6-4 before Rebolledo homered to give the Wolverines an 8-6 lead. Hardy's home run came two hitters later, her second RBI hit with two outs, and UVU led 9-6.
 
Southern Utah got one back in the sixth, but starter Devyn Cretz re-entered and closed out the contest to earn her third save of the season. Joslyn Thieme, who was in the circle when Rebolledo made her diving catch, got her first career win.
 
Query, Sandoval, Rebolledo and Hardy all had two hits each to account for UVU's eight hits on the day. Southern Utah finished with 10 hits including early home runs from Dana Hokanson and Mikelle Magalogo that helped the T-Birds to a 3-0 lead.
 
The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon MT to close out the three-game set.