OREM—Utah Valley swept a doubleheader against Maine with a 6-5 win in game one and a 5-2 win in game two in the team's home opener on Wednesday afternoon at Wolverine Softball Field.
 
Utah Valley improves to 9-7 overall on the season, while Maine falls to 2-15 on the year.
 
"I'm proud of how the team played at home," said Utah Valley head coach Cody Thomson. "We don't get a lot of home games so each one matters. I was proud of how Katie pitched today. She pitched a complete game with just one earned run. I was proud of how she closed the first game. That will be important for us in conference play."
 
 
Game 1
Madison Carr went 4-for-4 at the plate and scored three runs, while Brooke Carter recorded seven strikeouts in the circle to lead Utah Valley to a 6-5 win over Maine in game one on Wednesday at Wolverine Field.
 
After holding Maine scoreless in the top of the first inning, Madison Carr got the Wolverines going in the bottom half of the inning with a single to left center. Carr then stole second and advanced to third on a Kalena Shepherd ground out. Mikaela Thomson then singled up the middle to help Carr across the plate to give Utah Valley a 1-0 lead after one inning of play.
 
After a scoreless second inning, Maine's Izzy Nieblas homered over the left field fence to tie the game at 1-1. Utah Valley's Laynee Betancur singled through the right side and then scored on a Shepherd flyout to center. Carr, who had bunted her way onto base, scored on a wild pitch to give the Wolverines a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to give UVU a 3-1 lead.
 
The two teams went scoreless in the fourth inning before Maine tied it up with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to tie the game 3-3. Utah Valley responded in the bottom of the fifth as Carr reached on an error and Rebolledo walked to put a pair of runners on base. Shepherd then doubled to center to score both Rebolledo and Carr to give UVU back the lead, 5-3. Megan Gibbson then hit the top of the fence in right field before falling in play for a standup double, scoring Brynne Hilton, who pinch ran for Shepherd, giving UVU a 6-3 advantage.
 
Maine cut the lead back to one run in the top of the sixth as Rebecca Findley homered to left field, scoring Kya Enos from second to get within one run, 6-5. Utah Valley's Katie Zuniga then held Maine scoreless in the top of the seventh as UVU secured the 6-5 win.
 
Carr went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with three runs scored and a stolen base. Shepherd was 1-for-2 with a double and three RBI. Carter picked up the win in the circle, working 5.2 innings with seven strikeouts. Zuniga picked up the save with two strikeouts in 1.1 innings. Carter improves to 5-2 overall on the year.
 
 
 
Game 2
Kalena Shepherd and Mikaela Thomson each hit home runs and Katie Zuniga went the distance in the circle to lead Utah Valley to a 5-2 win over Maine in game two of doubleheader.
 
Maine took an early 2-0 led after scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. The Black Bears then held the Wolverines scoreless in the bottom half of the inning.
 
After holding the Black Bears scoreless in the top of the second, Utah Valley's Linnah Rebolledo hit a one-out single up the middle. Jaeden Barajas then doubled down the left field line to score Rebolledo. Rylee Thorpe then hit Barajas home to tie the game up a 2-2.
 
UVU held Maine without a run in the top of the third inning. Madison Carr opened the top of the third with a single followed up by a Shepherd home run over the left field fence to put UVU up 4-2. Thomson then made it back-to-back home runs for the Wolverines as she sent a shot over the left field fence to extend the UVU lead to 5-2.
 
Maine had runners on second and third base with two outs in the top of the fifth, but Carr caught a fly in center field and then threw out the tagging runner at the plate to get UVU out of the inning unscathed. UVU went scoreless in the bottom half of the fifth.
 
Both teams went scoreless through the final two innings as Utah Valley secured the 5-2 win.
 
Carr went 2-for-4 at the plate with one run scored. Shepherd and Rebolledo each went 2-for-3 with one run scored. Shepherd and Thomson each hit home runs, while Barajas went 1-for-2 with a double.
 
Zuniga went the distance, pitching 7.0 innings with three strikeouts. Zuniga had already picked up a save in game one and gave up just one earned run in 8.1 innings of play over the two games. Zuniga improves to 4-2 overall in the circle.
 
Utah Valley heads back out on the road for a three-game set at WAC rival Dixie State, March 18-19 in St. George. UVU's next home game is set for March 25 against Seattle U.