CLEARWATER, Fla. – Utah Softball struggled against a pair of ranked teams on Friday, falling to No. 18 Kentucky, 13-2, and No. 17 Oklahoma State, 8-1, at the SPC Elite Invitational.
No. 18 Kentucky 13, Utah 2
Utah had a chance to grab some early momentum when
BreOnna Castaneda was hit on the foot and
Abby Robertson roped a double to left. However, the ball trickled under the outfield netting, ruling the play a ground-rule double and negating the game's first run.
Kentucky took advantage by having its first eight batters reach in the bottom of the inning. A Bailey Vick single started the scoring and Jenny Schaper followed with a bases-clearing double. The damage was not entirely done until Mallory Peyton's grand slam made it 8-0.
The Utes had a chance to get on the board in the third when
Alyssa Palacios and
Julia Noskin opened with consecutive singles. However, a double play, followed by an outstanding stretch by the Kentucky first baseman on a ground ball negated the threat.
UK added a pair in the third on an Abby Cheek double and Alex Martens sacrifice fly. Its final run came in the fourth on another sac fly off the bat of Maclai Branson. It would have been worse if not for an amazing catch by
Alyssa Barrera who went head-over-heels in the center field netting to make the play.
Utah finally got on the board in the fifth when Noskin doubled and scored on an
Ellessa Bonstrom single. Barrera added a sacrifice fly for the final score.
No. 17 Oklahoma State 8, Utah 1
It was a rough start in the second game as Kiley Naomi homered two batters into the ball game for a 2-0 OSU lead.
Utah quickly responded with
Alyssa Barrera driving in
Julia Noskin with a double to right-center field. Noskin led off the game with a double that caught the lip of the outfield grass and rolled away from the fielders.
The game stayed close until the third. Taylor Lynch singled through the left side to plate a run and Michaela Richbourg smashed a two-run homer to right. Rylee Bayless would add on with a two-run double and a make it 7-1 in favor of the Cowgirls.
OSU tacked on another run in the sixth courtesy of an Elise LeBeouf double after Utah was unable to score in the fifth after singles by
BreOnna Castaneda and
Alyssa Palacios
The Utes are back in action tomorrow against Ohio State at 1 p.m. ET and No. 6 Tennessee at 7 p.m. ET