Utah Softball Upsets No. 10/13 Arizona State, 3-1

Saturday, February 12

Tempe, Ariz.

7:00 PM

University of Utah

Arizona State

Utah Softball Upsets No. 10/13 Arizona State, 3-1

2/12/2011 12:00 AM | Softball

Feb. 12, 2011

Box Score

Junior first baseman Tia Palauni connected on a walk-off three-run home run in the eighth inning to lead the University of Utah softball team to a 3-1 win over No. 13/10 Arizona State in the Kajikawa Classic Saturday in front of 1,139 fans at Farrington Stadium.

After playing to a scoreless tie after seven innings, Utah began the bottom of the eighth inning (as the designated home team) with shortstop Kelsi Hoopiiaina placed on second base as part of the international tiebreaker rule. Naomi Amu drew a walk after the leadoff at-bat then Palauni blasted her 11th career home run of the season. The Taylorsville, Utah native now has two home runs this season and five RBI.

"[Palauni's final at-bat] was a situation that called for a sacrifice bunt to get the runners in a position to score with a base hit," Utah head coach Amy Hogue said. "But [Palauni] looked really good at the plate all night and with someone swinging the bat that well, my gut said to let her swing. I asked her and she wanted to. She said `I really want to swing, coach.'"

Aside from Palauni's clutch hitting, Utah (3-1) received solid pitching throughout the game as Amu went 4.2 innings in her first career start and did not allow an earned run. Generra Nielson came on in relief and moved to 3-0 this season after going 3.1 innings and allowing one run while striking out five.

"[Amu] came out and threw strikes early," Hogue said. "She never got behind hitters and got the ground balls that we needed then the defense picked up everything. That was how we started the game and it seemed like we were in the fifth inning in no time. That's what we wanted from her and we knew that if we got to the fifth and brought in [Nielson] that we'd have a great combo. And it ended up being exactly what we wanted."

Junior center fielder Hannah Clements, Whitney Holm and Brooke Olson also registered hits for the Utes.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Clements led off with a bloop single over the head of the ASU second baseman then Olson drove a double down the left-field line. The Utes had runners on second and third base with no outs, but unfortunately the Sun Devils prevented the Utes from scoring in the frame.

Arizona State loaded the bases in the top of the fifth inning but Nielson came in to strike out Aubrecht, the first batter she faced. In the top of the seventh inning, the Sun Devils had the sacks packed once again but Nielson managed to get ASU's Annie Lockwood to pop up to first base.

The Utes conclude Kajikawa Classic action tomorrow against No. 23/22 Oklahoma State at 11:15 a.m.