ATHENS, Ga. — Utah Valley dropped its first two games at the Georgia Classic, falling 3-2 in walk-off fashion to the unbeaten Syracuse Orange before suffering an 8-2 setback to the App State Mountaineers.
Megan Gibbs went a combined 2-for-6 at the plate in her first games back in her home state. Avery Sapp put up a strong performance in game one, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored while also allowing two ER over three innings pitched. Tatum Hall extended her reached base streak to seven games, picking up a hit, a walk, and two RBIs across the two games.
GAME ONE
After stranding the bases loaded in the top of the first, the first five Orange reached in the bottom half to plate two runs for Syracuse. Sapp was able to bounce back from the rough start and retire nine of the next 10 batters.
A double by Sapp and a single by Tatum Hall cut the deficit in half in the top of the second. Megan Gibbs worked a one-out walk in the third and came around to score on a double by Angelique Mann to tie the game at two.
The first two Orange batters reached to start the fourth, chasing Sapp, but Payge Armendariz was able to come on and shut down the rally without allowing any runs.
Utah Valley got one-out doubles in the fifth and sixth by Peyton Hall and Sapp respectively, but the Wolverines were unable to capitalize on either opportunity.
Syracuse recorded three-straight hits in the seventh to rally for the game-winning run.
GAME TWO
The Wolverines jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, pushing a run across in both the first and second. Tatum Hall led off the inning with a walk, advanced to second on a groundout, then came around to score on an RBI single by Gibbs.
Utah Valley loaded the bases with nobody out in the second, but were only able to get the one run across courtesy of a walk by Tatum Hall.
App State rallied for two in its half of the second to tie the game, then capitalized on a passed ball on a strikeout that prolonged a six-run fourth inning rally.
The Wolverine offense went quiet over the back half of the game, with just one hit and two base runners over the final four frames.
UP NEXT
Utah Valley will have an early start tomorrow with a pair of games on the schedule. The Wolverines will face Buffalo at 8:30 a.m. MT before a rematch against App State at 4 p.m. MT. Both games will have live stats available at GeorgiaDogs.com.
