No. 22 Utes Fall to No. 20 Huskies in Extras

Friday, May 8

Salt Lake City (Dumke Family Softball Stadium)

5:00 PM

University of Utah

#20 Washington

5/8/2015 12:00 AM | Softball

May 8, 2015

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY -- The No. 22 Utah softball team (34-17, 12-11) was handed its first loss in extra innings this season as the No. 20 Washington Huskies (40-15, 11-11) came back from three runs down to down the Utes, 7-5, in nine innings Friday night at Dumke Family Softball Stadium.

The Utes took a 5-2 lead going into the top of the seventh inning, but after six innings the Huskies finally got to starter Miranda Viramontes and tied the contest at five-all when she gave up three runs on six hits in the frame.

Katie Donovan (L, 16-8) entered the contest in the top of the eighth inning and retired the side in order, but Utah's offense, despite getting runners to second and third base, could not get a runner home to end the game.

Donovan looked as if she would cruise through the top of the ninth inning as well, getting two quick outs with a strikeout and a ground out, but UW's Kimberlee Souza found a hole through the right side of the infield and Julia DePonte followed with a home run to left field to give the Huskies a 7-5 lead.

UW's Kirstyn Thomas (W, 3-1), who entered the game in relief of Kasey Stanchek in the fifth inning, gave up just four hits in five full innings of work and earned the win for the Huskies after working a three-up, three-down bottom of the ninth inning.

Kate Dickman led the Utes at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a double and her two-run home run extended Utah's lead to 5-2 in the fifth inning. Hannah Flippen added three hits in her five at bats and she scored a team-high two runs in the game as well.

Kristen Stewart had just one hit on the evening, but her solo jack helped get the Utes back into the contest, tying the game 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Bridget Castro added a pair of singles, while both Maddy Woodard and Anissa Urtez rounded out the hits for Utah with a base-knock each.

Viramontes worked seven innings before giving way to Donovan in the eighth. She allowed five runs on 12 hits and struck out two in the game. Donovan gave up just the two runs and struck out two in her two complete innings.

DePonte led UW with three hits, which included the game-winning home run, while she and Kylee Lahners tied for the team-lead with three runs driven in each.

Utah snapped a six-game winning streak in extra innings that dates back to the 2013 season with the loss.

The Utes and Huskies will close out the series tomorrow (Saturday, May 9) in the rubber match between the two teams. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. and the contest will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks. The Utah softball team will honor its six seniors - Kendal Bergman, Dickman, Shelbi Everett, Marissa Mendenahll, Mariah Ramirez and Woodard - in a Senior Day ceremony followign the conclusion of the game.