The Wolverines (9-7) picked up its second series win of the season behind two-run singles from Kaden Carpenter and Mason Strong. Cooper Littledike  tossed 2 2/3 innings to earn his first win of the season as UNC (2-17) did not record a hit after the sixth inning. Ray Hernandez made his second start of the season for UVU and tossed three shutout innings. The senior was matched by his counterpart, Lucas Stone, who finished with four innings and allowed two hits.

Both pitchers set the tone early, as it looked like runs would be at a premium on Monday. The Bears scored first in the top of the fourth inning as they pushed across a run with runners on the corners on a ground ball to second baseman Chipper Beck. Beck moved from third to first for the play, then fired across the diamond to try to get the lead runner, but the throw from third to home bounced past Strong to make it 1-0.

The Wolverines recorded their first hit of the game in the third inning when DJ Massey singled to left field with two outs, but he was caught stealing to end the inning. The Bears threatened again in the fifth inning when they loaded the bases against Trey Jacobsen. Jacobsen came up with the needed out when he got a popout to shallow centerfield and got Zeke Minic to lineout to centerfield to end the threat and strand the bases loaded.

UVU escaped further damage in the top of the sixth when Northern Colorado had two runners on with one out and later loaded the bases. The Wolverines turned to Stopper of the Year watchlist nominee Littledike, who struck out Ethan Fillinger before a flyout ended the inning to leave the bases loaded.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Hunter Katschke led off with a double to right field to put the tying run in scoring position. Brody Block  followed with a high, shallow fly ball that fell in front of the UNC center fielder to put runners on first and third with no outs.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Carpenter singled home two runs to put UVU in front 2-1. He now has six multi-RBI games this season, with three of them coming this weekend against Northern Colorado.

The Wolverines were not done in the sixth inning, extending their lead to 3-1 when Massey hustled home on a pitch that bounced in front of home plate and away from the UNC catcher. Strong then singled home two more runs during the five-run sixth inning to push UVU past the Bears. Chance Wallace and Aaron Rice combined to pitch the ninth inning with a pair of strikeouts, as Wallace faced the leadoff hitter before Rice came in to retire the final two batters.

Utah Valley is set to host Colorado Mesa on Wednesday, March 11, at 1:05 p.m. MT at UCCU Ballpark. The Wolverines will then have the weekend off before hosting Cincinnati of the Big 12 in a two-game series that begins Monday, March 16, at 5:35 p.m. MT.

Softball holds off UC Davis

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 Tuesday against future Big West rival Sacramento State as head coach Cody Thomson seeks career win No. 100.