PROVO, Utah — Utah Valley clubbed six extra-base hits — including two apiece by Rachael Brown and Megan Gibbs — and Cam Davis tossed 2.2 innings of one-hit ball to earn the save as the Wolverines topped the BYU Cougars, 6-4, earning the team's first win in Provo since 2015.
Gibbs drove in two and scored two, with both RBIs coming on a triple to left center, the first of her illustrious career. Brown drove in Gibbs both opportunities she got with a pair of doubles and two RBIs.
"We're starting to play ball like I know we're capable of," said head coach Cody Thomson. "I'm excited to get into the second half of conference play and see what this team can do. I'm proud of the energy they're putting into the game and proud of the pitching effort tonight."
As a team, the Wolverines picked up six extra-base hits — five doubles and one triple. It is the team's most extra-base hits without a home run this season, and the most since the team slashed six doubles against Seattle U almost a year ago to the day.
Avery Sapp got the start for Utah Valley and put up four shutout frames before giving way to Davis in the fifth. The lone blemishes on Sapp's scorecard came on back-to-back homers and an inherited runner coming in on a bases-loaded hit by pitch. Sapp contributed in all facets of the game, smashing a double to center and snagging a handful of comebackers.
The Wolverines got on the board first with a run in the top of the second. Emma Haygood snuck a single inside the bag at first to lead off the inning. Her pinch runner, Kendyl Purdy, took second on a wild pitch, then Bailey Marvin sent a grounder the other way for an RBI single.
After shutting down the Cougars in the home half of the second, Utah Valley broke out for three runs in the third to make it 4-0. Britney Moreno came about a foot away from an opposite-field homer, but was able to leg out a one-out double. Tatum Hall drew a walk, then Gibbs smoked a ball up the gap in left center for a two-run triple. Brown cashed in just two pitches later, doubling to almost the same spot Gibbs hit her ball.
Sapp got in on the offensive action in the fourth with a booming one-out double to center field — also coming a foot or so short of home run distance. Moreno then slashed a single up the middle, and a bobble by the center fielder allowed Sapp to score easily and make it 5-0.
Following a leadoff single, two comebackers to Sapp kept the Cougars off the board in the fourth. The first got just the lead runner, but the second was a tailor-made 1-6-3 double play, with Moreno digging out a low throw and firing to first to get the batter.
Gibbs and Brown each doubled in the fifth, putting the Wolverines up 6-0.
Momentum shifted to the BYU dugout in the bottom of the fifth, as back-to-back homers by Lily Owens and Hailey Morrow made it 6-3. The next two runners reached, prompting Thomson to go to the bullpen and bring in Davis. After walking the first batter to load the bases, Davis got a popup to second, but hit the next batter on the first pitch to bring in another run. Davis made quick work of the next batter, however, and got her to pop out to second.
Davis worked around some traffic in the sixth to keep the Cougars off the board. Following a one-out single and walk, Davis got a flyout to center and battled for a swinging strikeout to end the inning.
Davis powered her way through the bottom of the order in the seventh, sending BYU down in order to end the game.
Utah Valley will return home for Alumni Weekend against the Abilene Christian Wildcats this weekend at Wolverine Softball Field. First pitch of Friday's doubleheader is scheduled for 2 p.m. MDT, and Saturday's series finale slated for 12 p.m. MDT. For more details about Alumni Weekend, visit @UVUSoftball on social media and RSVP at the link in bio if you have not already.
