OREM, Utah — The Utah Valley Wolverines combined to hit six home runs — including at least one by each of the senior position players — to win both games of the doubleheader and clinch a series sweep over the Southern Utah Thunderbirds on Senior Day on Saturday at Wolverine Softball Field.
The Wolverines won both games by run rule, taking the opener 10-2 in five innings before capping the afternoon off with an 11-3 win in six. Both games were won in walk-off fashion.
As part of the senior day festivities, the Wolverines honored their six graduating seniors, Jaeden Barajas, Brooke Saili, Joslyn Thieme, Kalena Shepherd, Rylee Thorpe, and Katie Zuniga. All six were key contributors in pushing Utah Valley to a pair of victories.
"It was a really fun Senior Day. All of our senior [position players] hit home runs, and that was a big highlight for them with it being their last game here," said head coach Cody Thomson. "Bug really stepped up with her two home runs, and I know that was exciting for her because she had played for Southern Utah. Megan Gibbs and Libbie Hawker had great days at the plate, they hardly got out all weekend."
GAME 1
Jorja Barrett got the start in game one, and went three-plus innings, allowing one ER on three hits and picking up three strikeouts. Joslyn Thieme came on in relief and got the final six outs for the Wolverines, allowing one ER and picking up a strikeout.
Utah Valley put up a pair of runs in the first when Libbie Hawker was able to score on a wild pitch and Thorpe was able to score on a sacrifice fly from Gibbs
All three seniors hit home runs in the opener, including back-to-back bombs from Jaeden Barajas and Rylee Thorpe in the second. Gibbs joined the home run party with a solo shot of her own in the third.
SUU plated a pair of runs in the fourth, but Shepherd hit her first of two home runs on the day — a two-run blast to right — to restore the lead back up to six.
Two triples from Angelique Mann and Mya Higareda put Utah Valley within an arm's reach of the run rule victory in the bottom of the fifth. Hawker wasted no time and slapped the first pitch she saw into left field to drive in Higareda to clinch the win.
GAME 2
The senior tandem of Katie Zuniga and Brooke Saili combined in the circle to clinch the series sweep. Zuniga went 1.2 innings and allowed three ER on four hits. Saili came on in relief and spread three hits over 4.1 shutout innings for the win.
SUU struck first with a run in the top of the first. Gibbs leveled the score in the bottom half of the inning with a bases-loaded single that dropped just in front of the center fielder, preventing Barajas at second from scoring. Payge Armendariz roped a line drive to left, but it was right at the left fielder for the final out of the inning two batters later.
The Thunderbirds were able to rally for two more runs off Zuniga before making way for Saili, who was able to get out of the jam.
Utah Valley rallied for five runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good. Thorpe reached on an error and Shepherd walked to set the table for Gibbs, who hit a no-doubt home run to left.
Armendariz reignited the rally two batters later with a single up the middle, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Britney Moreno singled to right after fouling off five pitches to drive in Armendariz, and was able to advance to second on the throw home. Moreno advanced to third on another wild pitch, and was then driven in by Hawker on an infield single.
A pair of singles from Gibbs and Armendariz set the table for the sweep-clinching rally in the bottom of the sixth, and both runners were able to advance into scoring position on the throw. Taylor Wooten singled to right to bring home Gibbs, but pinch runner Victoria Vasquez couldn't beat the tag at the plate. That proved to be inconsequential, as Moreno doubled home Wooten in the next at-bat to clinch the 11-3 win.
Although Saturday was Senior Day, the Wolverines will host one final home game against the No. 15 Utah Utes on Tuesday at 6 p.m. MDT. Tuesday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN+, and live stats will be available at UVUStats.com.
