LAS VEGAS — Lily Riley struck out a career-high nine batters to lead Utah Valley in a 9-0 run-rule victory over the Merrimack Warriors on Saturday as the Wolverines (9-6) wrapped up a 4-1 weekend at the Rebel Classic in Las Vegas.
Utah Valley dropped its lone contest of the weekend earlier in the morning to Valparaiso, 10-7, as the Beacons used some of the Wolverines' own medicine by scoring in every inning.
The win over the Warriors secures Utah Valley's best 15-game start to a season since 2020, when the Wolverines went 11-4, and is the third-best overall in the program's full-status D-I era (since 2010).
Utah Valley posted just its third four-win weekend at a non-conference tournament in the WAC era (since 2014), and the second in the last three seasons. The other two came in 2024 at Fresno State (4-1) and in 2020 at UNLV (5-1).
GAME ONE
Emma Haygood got the Wolverines on the board in the first with her team-leading fifth homer of the season to make it 1-0. The Beacons were able to rattle off four runs in a row, however, to take a 4-1 lead into the third.
Utah Valley rallied to tie it in the top of the third thanks to a bases-loaded, two-out triple by Amber Rodriguez. Valpo snuffed out any Wolverine momentum with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame to make it 6-4.
Britney Moreno cut that deficit in half with a single to left that was overrun by the fielder, allowing Tatum Hall to score from second. The Beacons kept the offensive pressure on in the home half of the fourth with three more runs to make it 9-5.
Utah Valley again cut the deficit in half with two runs in the fifth. Peyton Hall laced an RBI double to right center, then two batters later, Mya Higareda snuck a single through the left side.
Valpo got the last run of the game on a bases-loaded walk in the fifth. The Beacons were able to retire the Wolverines in order over the final two frames to close out the game.
GAME TWO
Riley pitched her best game of the season to earn the win against the Warriors. Riley pitched a complete game, striking out a career-high nine, and scattering five hits across the five frames.
After three scoreless innings, Utah Valley rallied for all nine of its runs in the fourth by running circles around Merrimack with some well-executed small ball and aggressiveness on the basepaths.
Bailey Marvin led off the fourth with a double then was pinch-ran for by Maddie McSorley. Amber Rodriguez beat out a bunt then got in a rundown between first and second that allowed McSorley to score and Rodriguez to make it to second safely. Megan Sterzer reached for the 11th time this weekend with a single to left to put runners at the corners, then the first of three wild pitches in the inning allowed Rodriguez to score.
The Wolverines kept the hits coming, with RBI singles from Ry Binne and Britney Moreno, then a two-run double from Angelique Mann. Emma Haygood roped a single to right to plate another run, then came around to score on another wild pitch. Sterzer capped the rally with her second hit of the inning, an RBI double to left center.
UP NEXT
Utah Valley will play its first games in Utah next weekend at the Beehive Classic in St. George on Feb. 27-March 1. The Wolverines will play four games against in-state rivals — two against Utah State and one against Weber State and Utah. All games will be streamed on WAC International, with live stats available at GoUVU.com/stats.
