PHOENIX — Emma Haygood hit her first collegiate homer and Megan Gibbs blasted her third of the season as Utah Valley lost a tight 8-7 contest to the North Dakota Fighting Hawks on Saturday afternoon. The Wolverines dropped the early game of the day to the No. 20 Oregon Ducks, 7-1. 

Haygood is off to a tear early in the season, going 5-for-11 with a double and seven RBIs, which is tied for the team lead. Gibbs' home run moves her one step closer to the UVU career home run record, as she now has 38 and needs four more to break the record of 41, held by Amanda Robinson (2011-14).

GAME ONE

The Ducks scored seven across the first four frames to take control. Peyton Hall hit an RBI double that scored Amber Rodriguez in the fifth, but the Wolverines were unable to push across any more runs. 

GAME TWO

After the Hawks scored two in the second, the Wolverines rallied for five in the third. Tatum Hall doubled and Britney Moreno singled to set the table, then Hall was able to score on a wild pitch. 

An RBI groundout by Angelique Mann and an RBI single by Rodriguez gave the Wolverines their first lead of the day. Haygood then extended the lead with a two-run homer. 

The lead was short-lived, as UND rallied for six in its half of the third to make it 8-5. The Wolverines got one back in the fifth after a leadoff single by Rodriguez, a double by Haygood, and a wild pitch. 

Gibbs hit a solo homer in the sixth, but Utah Valley was unable to get any more baserunners.

The Wolverines will wrap up the weekend on Sunday in Tempe against the Arizona State Sun Devils. First pitch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. MT.