OREM, Utah — Megan Gibbs hit her 9th home run of the season and Halle Morris extended her reached-base streak to 16 games as Utah Valley (14-19, 8-5 WAC) was swept in a doubleheader by the California Baptist Lancers (22-19, 9-3 WAC) on Friday afternoon at Wolverine Softball Field.
Game one was a marathon, as the Lancers ultimately prevailed 16-10 in a game that took nearly three hours. CBU's Morgan Mcconnell shut down the Wolverine lineup in game two, with the Lancers winning 8-0 in six innings.
Payge Armendariz went a combined 4-for-8 between the two games with a trio of doubles. Armendariz has an extra-base hit in four straight games and in five of her last six.
GAME ONE
Gibbs put the Wolverines up 2-0 in the first with a single that drove in Amber Rodriguez and Ry Binne.
Morris allowed one hit through the first two frames, but got roughed up for a pair of runs in the third. The Lancers ran themselves out of a potentially bigger inning by making a pair of outs on the basepaths. With one out and the bases loaded, Kayla Lyon singled to right, bringing in the runners from second and third. Lyon fell as she was trying to take second on the throw, and was tagged out by Britney Moreno. Moreno then gunned down the runner from first that was trying to score.
CBU made the most of their chances in the third, putting up eight runs on seven hits. The Lancers tacked on two more in the fifth to take a 12-2 lead and put the Wolverines on the brink of a run-rule defeat.
UVU responded in a big way with a seven-run fifth to get back in the ballgame. Gibbs kicked off the rally with a solo homer to right. Armendariz doubled, then was singled home by Rachael Brown. Peyton Hall walked, then both runners moved into scoring position courtesy of a wild pitch. Mikayla Garrison picked up her first collegiate hit and RBI when she roped a pinch-hit single to left.
Amber Rodriguez singled to bring in Hall and Ry Binne singled to load the bases. Morris then smoked a bases-clearing double up the gap in right center to make it a 12-9 ballgame. Gibbs walked to bring the tying run to the plate, but the Lancers were able to retire the next two batters to get back in the dugout.
CBU scored three in the sixth and one in the seventh to pull away again. UVU scored one in the seventh off of a pinch-hit single by Saige Nielsen, but that was all the Wolverines could get.
GAME TWO
Mcconnell — who pitched the last two-plus innings in game one for the Lancers — shut down the Utah Valley offense in game two with a complete game shutout. It is just the second time the Wolverines have been shut out in a game this season, and the first since Opening Day against No. 1 Oklahoma.
The two teams traded zeros through the first three frames, but CBU put plenty of pressure on the Wolverines in those innings. The Lancers picked up five hits in the first three innings, but left five runners on base in that time.
Utah Valley loaded the bases in the second with a hit and a pair of walks, but were unable to cash in.
CBU broke through with two in the fourth, then piled on with three in the fifth and three in the sixth.
The Wolverines' last true scoring chance came in the fourth when UVU loaded the bases with a trio of singles, but were unable to capitalize.
Utah Valley will look to salvage a game from this weekend series tomorrow afternoon against the Lancers. First pitch — weather permitting — is slated for 12 p.m. MT, and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
