Utah Softball Splits Pair at Kajikawa Classic

Sunday, February 14

Tempe, Ariz. (Tempe Sports Complex)

1:30 PM

University of Utah

2-2

Fresno State

5-0

Utah

Fresno State

2/14/2016 12:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

Feb. 14, 2016

Box Score

Tempe, Ariz. - Utah Softball earned a split this evening at the Kajikawa Classic, topping Boston College, 3-1, after falling earlier in the day, 2-0, to Fresno State. Ally Dickman was 4-for-6 on the day with a RBI and Miranda Viramontes won her second result in as many days.

Utah 3, Boston College 1
Ally Dickman and Bridget Castro each had a pair of hits and drove in a run as the Utes improved to 3-2 with a win over the Eagles.

Miranda Viramontes pitched four shutout innings to improve to 2-0 on the season. Kayce Nieto followed with a scoreless fifth and Haile Hilburn worked the final two innings to notch her first collegiate save.

BC threatened in the first but Shelby Pacheco made a string throw to gun down a base runner to keep things scoreless. In the second, the Eagles had runners on the corners when they attempted a double steal. An alert Hannah Flippen threw home to nab the runner and preserve the tie.

Kristen Stewart and Dickman reached base to start the Utah second and Castro belted a ground-rule double to push the Utes in front, 1-0. Stewart and Dickman did more damage the following inning when the senior walked with two outs and the freshman followed with a RBI double.

BC had two on with one out in the fourth and a grounder put runners on the corners with two away. Viramontes recorded her final out with a resounding strike that maintained Utah's two-run cushion.

In the bottom half, Hilburn singles with one out and Delilah Pacheco followed with an infield single. However, Utah failed to capitalize on the chance. After Nieto entered in the fifth, she allowed a leadoff double. The senior responded by alertly fielding a grounder and throwing to third to get a force on the next play.

Utah tacked on an insurance run in the sixth as Castro singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Shelby Pacheco. With two outs, Delilah Pacheco lofted a ball to left that popped in and out of the fielder's glove and give Utah a 3-0 lead.

The leadoff runner for BC reached in the seventh but Flippen made an amazing sliding stop to produce a 4-6-3 twin killing. The Eagles would score a run and have the tying run on base with two outs. Despite the stress, Hilburn calmly induced a liner to left to seal the contest.

Fresno State 2, Utah 0
Utah scattered seven hits but could not knock any runs across in a 2-0 setback. Katie Donovan allowed two runs on six hits, while striking out five batters in six innings.

In the second inning, Ally Dickman singles with two outs and Shelby Pacheco followed with a walk. However, a strikeout ended the opportunity for the Utes.

Utah threatened again in the third, as Delilah Pacheco and Hannah Flippen both reached on singles. Consecutive fly outs and a grounder would nullify the chance. Fresno State put two in scoring position in the bottom half of the inning, but Donovan induced a grounder to keep things scoreless.

In the fifth, Utah got a two-out double from Anissa Urtez but it could not find the breakthrough. In the bottom half, Fresno State only hit one ball out of the infield but was able to push two runs across to grab a lead.

The following inning, Kristen Stewart walked and Dickman singled. Shelby Pacheco laid down a sacrifice bunt to put both runners in scoring position with two outs. Despite the golden opportunity, a strikeout killed any hope of drawing even.

Utah is back in action tomorrow at 12:30 against No. 17 Kentucky. The Utes and Wildcats will play at Farrington Stadium on the ASU campus on the Pac-12 Network.