OREM, Utah — Avery Sapp put up six strong innings and Emma Haygood and Bailey Marvin each drove in a pair to lead Utah Valley to a 7-3 win over the UT Arlington Mavericks in a doubleheader split at Wolverine Softball Field on Friday afternoon. The Mavericks rallied for 13 unanswered runs in the night cap to take that game 18-3.
Sapp flirted with perfection, holding UTA without a baserunner through the first three innings before surrendering a bloop single to lead off the fourth. Sapp finished the afternoon with two ER allowed on four hits in six innings pitched. Haygood picked up her team-best eighth multi-RBI game in the win.
GAME ONE
Utah Valley blitzed the Mavs for three runs in the first inning, with all the offense coming with two outs. Tatum Hall picked up a bunt single then was doubled to third by Megan Gibbs, who came inches away from a home run. Haygood then sent a ball the other way to left center to plate both runners, then Peyton Hall singled her pinch runner Trinity Johnston home on the next at-bat.
The Wolverines doubled the lead to six in the third with a little help from the UTA defense. Gibbs led off the inning by reaching on an error on a scalding grounder to second, then Haygood dunked a single down the right field line to send Gibbs to third. Marvin blooped a ball down the right field line that hit the turf and took a right turn past the right fielder, resulting in a two-run triple. Rachael Brown brought Marvin home on the next at-bat with a sac fly.
The Mavs got on the board in the fifth with a leadoff homer by Dee McClarity, but the Wolverines were able to get that run back in the sixth. After a double by Brown and a push bunt single by Kendyl Purdy, Amber Rodriguez executed a squeeze play to get the run in from third.
UTA got two runs in the seventh, but a wild play ended it for the Mavs despite bringing home a run. With two on and two out, a throw by Peyton Hall sailed down the right field line, allowing the lead runner to score from second, but the trailing runner was gunned down at the plate by Gibbs to end the game.
GAME TWO
After a back and forth opening two frames, UTA pulled away late for an 18-3 win in game two. The Mavs scored one in the first, but Utah Valley was able to answer back with two of their own to take a 2-1 lead after one.
The first run came in on a UTA miscommunication on a steal play by UVU. With runners on the corners, Kina Watts took off from first looking to get in a rundown and allow Moreno to score from third. Mavs catcher Mia McNulty fired to second trying to get Watts, but neither of the middle infielders were covering, allowing Moreno to come in as Watts swiped second. Peyton Hall drove Watts in two batters later with a single up the middle.
UTA took the lead for good with four runs in the second, three of which came on a homer by McNulty.
The Wolverines got a run back in the third, but it would be the last one they'd get on the afternoon. Brown led off with a sizzling double inside the bag at third, then after a sac bunt by Angelique Mann, Rodriguez drove pinch runner Mya Higareda in on an infield single.
The Mavs pulled away with three runs in the fourth and two in the sixth before putting the game out of reach with eight in the seventh.
Weather permitting, the two teams will reconvene tomorrow afternoon at 12 p.m. MDT for the rubber match of the three-game set. For those attending, due to other events on campus, the UCCU Center visitor lot will be open for ADA attendees only and fans are encouraged to park in the Browning Administration parking lot south of the UCCU Center or in the student lots to the north of Wolverine Softball Field.
