OREM, Utah — Peyton Hall hit two home runs and drove in six RBIs and Angelique Mann hit her first home run as a Wolverine to lead Utah Valley to a doubleheader sweep over the Tarleton State Texans to open WAC play on Friday afternoon at Wolverine Softball Field.
Game one was a barn burner, as the Wolverines rallied for a 10-9 walk-off win in eight innings. Mya Higareda delivered a clutch RBI single to right field to secure the win. Game two was all UVU from the jump, as the Wolverines took home a 9-4 victory after scoring seven runs in the first two innings.
"Our hitters really stepped up," said head coach Cody Thomson. "We've been struggling a little bit, and we knew coming into the WAC we were going to need to swing it, and that's what we did today. Our pitching staff did a really good job of doing what they're supposed to do today."
Hall, who is now riding a 10-game hitting streak, had the first multi-home run game for the Wolverines since 2022 when Mikaela Thomson hit two on the road at GCU. On the day, Hall finished going 4-for-8 with two home runs, two doubles, seven RBIs, five runs scored, and a walk.
"We put [Hall] up higher in the lineup because she's been swinging it really well, and obviously did a really good job today," said Thomson. "We've had to switch kids around defensively, and she went over to short and made a really big play right away for us."
Mann led all Wolverines with six hits on the day, a pair of three-hit games. Mann gave Utah Valley some much-needed insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth when she blasted her two-run home run over the fence in right-center. Mann finished the day 6-for-9 with a home run, four doubles, four RBIs, and four runs scored, including the game-winner in the opener.
"Angel's been swinging it really well, and she was kind of due," said Thomson. "She's really been coming into her own. Usually she's been more gap-to-gap, but she's really starting to find her power."
Jorja Barrett pitched well in just her second start of the season. Barrett gave the Wolverines 4.1 strong innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out three to earn the win in game two.
Halle Morris gave Utah Valley some strong innings out of the bullpen. Morris went four innings in game one, allowing one unearned run to secure the win, and slammed the door with 2.2 innings of relief in the nightcap.
GAME ONE
Tarleton State blitzed the Wolverines for three runs in the top of the first, all with two outs. UVU responded with six-straight runs over the next two innings. Hall cut into the deficit with her first home run of the day, a two-run shot to center field.
Megan Gibbs led off the bottom of the second with a solo home run to center, her fifth of the season. Gibbs is now tied for fifth on the UVU career home runs list with 25. Danyé Albritton walked and Laynee Betancur singled to set the table for the top of the lineup. Hall delivered a two-out, two-RBI double to left-center to give the Wolverines their first lead of the day. Rachael Brown would later drive in Hall with a single through the left side.
The Texans retook the lead in the fourth with four runs to make it a 7-6 ballgame. Utah Valley would respond with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning to retake the lead at 9-7.
It only took the Wolverines three pitches to retake the lead in the fourth, as Britney Moreno laced an 0-1 pitch over the centerfielder's head for a double. Hall then sent the first pitch she saw over the fence in center.
Singles by Brown and Morris reignited the rally and set up pinch hitter Payge Armendariz, who hit a line drive off the first baseman's glove that allowed pinch runner Libbie Hawker to score.
TSU plated runs in the fifth and sixth to tie things up and send the game to extras. After Morris retired the Texans in order, Mann led off the inning with a double to left-center, which set up Higareda for the game-winning knock.
GAME TWO
Early offense and strong pitching from Barrett set the tone in the nightcap. Barrett faced the minimum through three innings before getting touched up for two in the fourth and one in the fifth.
The Wolverine bats picked up where they left off in game one with four in the first and three in the second. An RBI double by Mann, a sacrifice fly by Brown, and RBI singles by Morris and Gibbs provided the scoring for UVU.
A double parade in the second plated three runs for Utah Valley. After a leadoff single by Betancur, three-consecutive doubles by Hall, Mann, and Brown extended the lead to 7-0.
The Texans clawed back into it with two runs in the fourth, one in the fifth, and one in the seventh, but Mann's two-run homer in the sixth provided the extra cushion the Wolverines needed.
Utah Valley will look for the series sweep and its first 3-0 start to conference play since 2014 when they take on the Texans tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. MT, and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
