Utah Softball Tripped up by Duke, 4-3

Sunday, February 24

Palm Springs, Calif.

10:00 AM

University of Utah

5-10

Duke

6-9

Duke

Utah

2/24/2019 1:37 PM | Softball

Box Score Duke 4 Utah 3

Bonstrom collects first collegiate HR

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – Ellessa Bonstrom hit her first collegiate home run to get Utah Softball off on the right foot, but it dropped the finale at the Mary Nutter Classic this afternoon to Duke, 4-3.

Two batters into the contest, Utah took the lead as Julia Noskin got plunked and Bonstrom followed with her homer for a 2-0 lead. Noskin hit .353 for the weekend and stole four bases, while Bonstrom reached base eight times and led the team in runs batted in. As a team, the Utes struggled with runners in scoring position, going 5-for-34 (.147)

The Utes continued to threaten with Alyssa Palacios singling to begin the second and Jordyn Gasper taking a walk. However, the Utes could not extend the lead. Both teams could have done damage in the third but Sydney Sandez worked her way out of a jam and Utah left Alyssa Barrera and BreOnna Castaenda on base in the bottom half.

Duke broke through in the fourth as three of the first four batters singled and Marissa Gagliano tied the game with a two-run single through the left side.

In the fifth, Duke got a one-out double, followed by an error and Rachel Abboud made Utah pay with another two-run single that pushed the Blue Devils ahead 4-2.

Utah responded in the bottom half as Barrera doubled and Hailey Hilburn hit the team's first triple of the season to pull within one.

After Sandez cruised through the sixth, Utah had another final chance in the bottom half of the inning. Makenna Calderon, in her first collegiate at bat, singled to start and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. She moved to third on a ground ball and Duke put the lead run on base when it walked Bonstrom. The Blue Devils were able to get a ground ball to end the inning and leave with the lead intact.

Next weekend. Utah heads back to where it started the season, Phoenix, for four games on Friday and Saturday at Grand Canyon University. The Utes begin with Iowa State at 11L30 a.m. on Thursday and follow with a contest later in the day against the host Antelopes.