Utah Softball Sweeps CSUN and Kansas

Saturday, February 9

Tempe, Ariz.

12:00 PM

University of Utah

2-1

CSUN

0-3

Utah

CSUN

2/9/2019 4:27 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Utah 7 CSUN 0 Utah 6 Kansas 4

TEMPE, Ariz. – Utah Softball won both its games today at the Kajikawa Classic, topping CSUN, 7-0, and Kansas, 6-4.

Utah 7, CSUN 0
Hailey Hilburn and Sydney Sandez combined on a seven-hit shutout as Utah won its opener on Saturday. The senior improved to 2-0 on the season before turning it over to the freshman, who pitched a pair of scoreless frames.

Utah took a lead just three batters into the game when Alyssa Barrera doubled off the wall in left center to bring in Ellessa Bonstrom. With the bases loaded, Abby Robertson drew a walk for an early 2-0 edge.

In the third, Hilburn connected for her first homer of the season, a solo shot that tacked on another run. With a pair of runners on base, Makayla Hurst delivered her first collegiate hit and brought in Robertson to make it 4-0.

Ally Dickman and Robertson were on base again in the seventh and both came plateward courtesy of a two-run double off the bat of Katie Faulk. The sophomore catcher came around to score on a seeing-eye single by Julia Noskin that completed the scoring.

Utah 6, Kansas 4
The Utes made it a clean sweep, holding on for a 6-4 win over the Jayhawks in the nightcap.

After KU left the bases loaded in the first inning, Utah got the breakthrough in the third. Ryley Ball doubled and after walks to Julia Noskin and Alyssa Barrera, BreOnna Castaneda earned a free pass to bring in the game's first run.

Kansas responded and went in front when Becki Monaghan and Shelby Gayre slapped two-out, run-scoring singles in the bottom of the frame.

After the Utes left runners on the corners in the fourth, they went back ahead in the fifth. Noskin and Barrera opened with singles and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. On a Castaneda grounder to the right side, Kansas elected to throw home but Noskin beat the tag to tie the game.

Utah loaded the bases and benefited again from an inability to find the strike zone as Abby Robertson walked to put her side ahead. Ellessa Bonstrom followed with her first collegiate hit, a two-run single for a 5-2 lead.

Kansas left a pair on in its half of the fifth and Utah made it pay when Barrera crushed her first home run of the season for a 6-2 cushion.

The Jayhawks made things interesting on Gayre's two-run single with two outs that brought the tying run to the plate. However, Sydney Sandez closed the door for her first collegiate save, securing Hailey Hilburn's third win of the year.