OREM, Utah — Utah Valley rallied with three runs in the bottom of the seventh to steal a 3-2 win from Utah State on Tuesday afternoon.
Katie Zuniga went the distance in the circle and
Linnah Rebolledo delivered the game-winning hit to cap the come-from-behind win.
"I love the perseverance and fight this team shows," said UVU head coach
Cody Thomson. "Katie has been locked in lately and she was awesome again for us today. And we had other big performances both at the plate and defensively that really contributed to this win. Now we need to take that momentum with us for a huge series in Seattle."
Trailing 2-0 entering the seventh, the Wolverines (19-20) got a pinch-hit, leadoff double from
Peyton Prigge to start the rally. She lined a ball into the hole at short that ricocheted off the fielder's glove and into foul territory before just beating the throw at second. Danyé Albritton then reached on a bunt single to put runners at the corners before
Laynee Betancur bounced an infield single up the middle that scored Prigge and put runners at first and second.
After
Madison Carr sacrificed both runners over, Rebolledo hit a sharp ground ball in the hole that the shortstop attempted to backhand but was unable to knock down and the ball trickled into into left, allowing Albritton to score the tying run and Betancur the winning run.
Zuniga retired the first eight hitters in order before Clair Raley drew a two-out walk in the third. The Aggies (25-21) scored both of their runs in the fourth behind a pair of hits and two UVU errors in the inning. Makenzie Macfarlane drove in Ariel Lopez for the first run on a sacrifice bunt and the second run scored when a two-out error allowed Zaia Castruita to score.
Utah State had baserunners in each of the final three innings but Zuniga worked out of any potential trouble. USU starter Kapri Toone (11-5) kept UVU off the scoreboard through the first six innings, stranding seven Wolverine baserunners in the process. She struck out three but took the tough-luck loss while Zuniga (8-6) got the win. Betancur had two of Utah Valley's eight hits in the game with Castruita accounting for two of Utah State's six hits.
The Wolverines will now head to the Pacific Northwest for a key three-game WAC series at Seattle U. That series begins Friday with a doubleheader before the finale on Saturday. UVU will also play a single game next Monday at No. 10 Washington.
