DAVIS, Calif. — Four different Wolverines had multiple hits as Utah Valley (15-8) rode a fast start to top the UC Davis Aggies (12-12), 6-5 on Monday afternoon at La Rue Field.
Britney Moreno set the tone at the top of the lineup with a 3-for-4 game, picking up a double, RBI, and run scored. Bailey Marvin, Emma Haygood, and Tatum Hall each had two-hit games with an RBI.
Utah Valley did what it's done all season long, putting up a three-spot in the first inning. The Wolverines have scored in the first inning 13 times this season, and have scored first 16 times.
Moreno led off the game with a double just inside the bag at third. A Ry Binne bunt single and a Marvin smash through the right side made it 1-0 as Binne advanced to third. A perfectly-executed double steal play with Binne and Marvin's pinch runner, Maddie McSorley, turned in the second run. Haygood picked up the third run of the inning with a double up the gap in right center.
McSorley picked up a memorable first collegiate hit, blasting a no-doubt solo homer in the top of the third to make it 4-0. The Aggies got that run back in the home half of the inning, but the Wolverines were able to limit the damage to the one run.
UC Davis trimmed the lead down to one on a two-run homer by Naomi Kalanetra in the fifth.
Utah Valley got both those runs back in the sixth with a two-out rally as back-to-back doubles by Payge Armendariz and Hall made it 5-3. Moreno snuck a single up the middle to pick up the second run of the inning.
The Aggies cut the lead down to one once again in the sixth via a bases-loaded groundout and a wild pitch. Hannah Ortega was able to get out of the jam with a strikeout to strand two in scoring position.
UC Davis threatened in a big way in the seventh and looked to have loaded the bases with one out, but an infield single by Brienna Weekes was wiped out due to her being out of the box when making contact, resulting in the third strike. Ella Miller was able to bounce back from a walk that loaded the bases, snagging a comebacker to end the game.
Utah Valley will close out the road trip tomorrow against future Big West rival Sacramento State at 12 p.m. MT as head coach Cody Thomson seeks career win No. 100. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+, with live stats at GoUVU.com/stats.
