OREM, Utah — Payge Armendariz tossed a nine-inning complete game and Rachael Brown hit her sixth home run of the season to lead Utah Valley (17-23, 10-8 WAC) to a 3-2 walk-off win over the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (14-33, 7-12 WAC) in a doubleheader split on Friday evening at Wolverine Softball Field.
The late-inning dramatics continued in game two, as the Jacks rallied for three in the seventh and stranded two in scoring position to take the nightcap, 4-2.
Armendariz continued her stretch of strong pitching, allowing just one ER and striking out seven in nine innings pitched. Over her last three outings, Armendariz has allowed four ER in 21 innings pitched with 14 strikeouts. Armendariz also becomes just the second Wolverine to have two outings of nine innings or more in a single season, joining Tiffany Mills, who had three in 2013.
GAME ONE
SFA struck first in the opener with two runs in the second. A walk and an error set the table for Lexi Benson, who sliced a double down the left field line to bring in both runners.
The two teams traded zeroes until the fifth inning when Brown got UVU on the board with a solo homer to center. Between the Benson double and the Brown homer, the two teams combined for just five baserunners.
The Wolverines tied the game in the sixth without hitting a ball to the outfield. Amber Rodriguez singled to short and Ry Binne bunted for a hit. Rodriguez was thrown out at the plate on a grounder hit by Laynee Betancur, but Binne was able to evade the tag and score on a grounder to second by Armendariz.
Utah Valley had runners in scoring position with less than two outs in both the seventh and eighth, but were unable to cash in. The Wolverines were able to cash in in the ninth to win the game.
Peyton Hall reached on a sharp grounder to short, then advanced to third with some heads-up baserunning on a sacrifice bunt by Victoria Vasquez. Rodriguez then hit a chopper to short that wasn't fielded cleanly, allowing Hall to score without a play at the plate.
GAME TWO
Halle Morris got the start in game two, and took a tough-luck loss. Morris had kept the SFA hitters off-balance all night, but the Jacks were able to tag her for three runs in the seventh to take the 4-2 win. Morris finished the night with three ER allowed on three strikeouts in a complete game.
The Jacks struck first again with a little league homer in the top of the first. Chloe Reneau tripled to center field, then came in to score after the throw to third bounced into the SFA dugout.
Morris helped her own cause with a two-run homer in the third, her second of the season. Morris' homer was the team's only hit with a runner in scoring position in game two, going a combined 1-for-9.
Morris had been able to get plenty of quick outs, but the Jacks were able to get some deep counts and ultimately cash in on those at-bats in the seventh. SFA plated three runs in the seventh to take a 4-2 lead.
Utah Valley threatened in its half of the seventh, getting two runners on and in scoring position, but Hall's sharp line drive to left hung up just enough for the left fielder to catch it.
UVU will look to take the rubber match of the series tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. MT, and the game will be streamed live on WAC International. Prior to the game, the 2014 WAC Championship team will be honored in a pregame ceremony on the field.
