Upcoming Event: Softball versus Weber State on October 15, 2025 at 6 p.m.
6 p.m.
Softball
vs Weber State
Friday, March 28
Salt Lake City, Utah
4 p.m.
University of Utah
14
vs
3
Houston
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
Photo by: Davis Kuhn/Utah Athletics
Seventh-Inning Uprising, Walk-Off Slam Caps Utah's Doubleheader Sweep
3/28/2025 10:10 PM | Softball
Utes win opener 14-3, erase 9-2 deficit to walk-off in game two, 12-9
SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah softball team slugged five home runs on Friday, the last of which was a two-out, seventh-inning, walk-off grand slam off the bat of Emily Capobianco to give the Utes a 12-9 win after they won the first game of a doubleheader 14-3 over the Houston Cougars on Friday evening in Big 12 Conference action at Dumke Family Softball Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah.
These two triumphs boost Utah's record to 12-23 and they are 4-4 in conference.
Utah's offensive onslaught started immediately, beginning with a five-run first inning. Kennedy Proctor drove in Utah's first runs with a two-run triple and, after a walk, Proctor touched home on a Shonty Passi single. Kayla Lyon then added two more by dunking a hit into center.
One frame later, the Utes erupted for their first eight-run inning since 2022. Two singles and a sacrifice put a pair in scoring position for Jolie Mayfield, who lofted a two-run double into left-center. Mayfield scored when Proctor took her place at second with a double of her own and, after a walk, Passi launched her first homer of the year to center to make the score 11-0. Shelbi Ortiz tallied her team's seventh run of the inning with a run-scoring single and she added the final tally of the stanza soon after on an error.
In the circle for the Utes was Shelbee Jones and she made sure they'd be no such outburst from the Cougars. She retired the side in order in the first and third innings and permitted Houston only two singles through four. After Utah added a 14th run in the bottom of the fourth, the Cougars did score three times in the fifth, but Jones ended the inning there.
Utah's 14 runs were the most they've scored in a game since 2021. Ortiz finished 4-for-4, the first four hit game of her career, and Passi's four RBIs were a new career-best.
Game Two
The first six innings of the next contest did not go as the Utes had hoped. Proctor and Passi did both blast solo homers, but a fourth inning grand slam helped the visitors build a 9-2 advantage.
In the bottom of the seventh, Utah's bats came back to life. A walk, a double and a single plated the frame's first run, then Proctor smacked her second four-bagger of the game, a three-run tater that made the score 9-6.
The Utes used a single and a double to bring the tying run to the plate and although Houston then recorded the second out, a walk to Taylor Jacobs kept the rally alive. A pair of errors by the Cougars sent two runs across and Kaylah Nelsen was intentionally walked to bring up Capobianco. Just seven days after beating Kansas with a walk-off homer, the sophomore from California provided an encore, crushing a 3-1 pitch that cleared the wall in center and cemented a doubleheader sweep.
Proctor finished the day with five hits and hit for the cycle across both games while also driving in seven runs. Passi became the second Ute to homer twice in a game in 2025 and Utah's four dingers in game two were their most since May 6, 2023 at Oregon. The Utes' combined average for the day was .441 with an .814 slugging percentage.
Up Next
After a day off on Saturday, the Utes and the Cougars will play one final time on Sunday at 12 p.m.
SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2025 campaign are now available. Fans can purchase season tickets by calling the Utah ticket office at 801-581-8849 or visit www.utahtickets.com/softball/.
OFFICIAL MOBILE APP OF UTAH ATHLETICS – UTAH 360
The official mobile app of Utah Athletics is Utah 360. Download it today to unlock a refreshed game-day experience, from managing tickets to mobile concessions ordering, as well as video content, news and information, schedules, rosters and stats. The app is available in both the Apple Store (download) and Google Play (download). Add it today, access your game tickets and download them to your smartphone's wallet to make yourself game-day ready.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @Utah_Softball |Instagram: @utahsoftball | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utessoftball).
These two triumphs boost Utah's record to 12-23 and they are 4-4 in conference.
"This team is certainly starting to believe in what they can do with their bats," said head coach Amy Hogue. "We threw the first punch today in game one and Shelbee tossed a gem. That game was so solid and absolutely by the book and nearly perfect executing the game plan.
"We dug ourselves a big hole in game two, which was difficult to swallow. Not a single part of our game was being executed well. But when we finally got some momentum in the seventh, it felt like nothing was going to stop us. Everything just flipped. I was convinced we were going to win it without anyone even getting out. The confidence of every single one of them that stepped to the plate that inning was incredible. It was fun to see. They knew they could do it and they did."
Game OneUtah's offensive onslaught started immediately, beginning with a five-run first inning. Kennedy Proctor drove in Utah's first runs with a two-run triple and, after a walk, Proctor touched home on a Shonty Passi single. Kayla Lyon then added two more by dunking a hit into center.
One frame later, the Utes erupted for their first eight-run inning since 2022. Two singles and a sacrifice put a pair in scoring position for Jolie Mayfield, who lofted a two-run double into left-center. Mayfield scored when Proctor took her place at second with a double of her own and, after a walk, Passi launched her first homer of the year to center to make the score 11-0. Shelbi Ortiz tallied her team's seventh run of the inning with a run-scoring single and she added the final tally of the stanza soon after on an error.
Shonty sends one out!
— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) March 28, 2025
Utah 1??1??, Houston 0??.
?? ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/DNjRr8Hrft
In the circle for the Utes was Shelbee Jones and she made sure they'd be no such outburst from the Cougars. She retired the side in order in the first and third innings and permitted Houston only two singles through four. After Utah added a 14th run in the bottom of the fourth, the Cougars did score three times in the fifth, but Jones ended the inning there.
Utah's 14 runs were the most they've scored in a game since 2021. Ortiz finished 4-for-4, the first four hit game of her career, and Passi's four RBIs were a new career-best.
Game Two
The first six innings of the next contest did not go as the Utes had hoped. Proctor and Passi did both blast solo homers, but a fourth inning grand slam helped the visitors build a 9-2 advantage.
In the bottom of the seventh, Utah's bats came back to life. A walk, a double and a single plated the frame's first run, then Proctor smacked her second four-bagger of the game, a three-run tater that made the score 9-6.
Proctor goes deep again! Utah is within 9-6.
— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) March 29, 2025
??ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/p98im7aIhs
The Utes used a single and a double to bring the tying run to the plate and although Houston then recorded the second out, a walk to Taylor Jacobs kept the rally alive. A pair of errors by the Cougars sent two runs across and Kaylah Nelsen was intentionally walked to bring up Capobianco. Just seven days after beating Kansas with a walk-off homer, the sophomore from California provided an encore, crushing a 3-1 pitch that cleared the wall in center and cemented a doubleheader sweep.
A 10-run seventh to erase a seven-run deficit capped by a walk-off grand slam.
— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) March 29, 2025
Never say die.#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/EBwMLCc2RE
"For the doubleheader," said Hogue, "Kaylah had four hits, Ortiz had five, Shonty hit two home runs with five RBIs and Proctor hit for the cycle with two homers and seven RBIs and each of them touched the plate 4 times. And I didn't even mention Capo with another walk-off home run! It was a magical day and this team proved you can't count them out. Ever."
Utah's 10-run seventh inning was their first 10-run frame since they put up a 13-spot against Toledo on March 11, 2017 and Capobianco's long ball was the program's first walk-off grand slam since Hailey Davenport hit one against Fairfield on March 18, 2007.Proctor finished the day with five hits and hit for the cycle across both games while also driving in seven runs. Passi became the second Ute to homer twice in a game in 2025 and Utah's four dingers in game two were their most since May 6, 2023 at Oregon. The Utes' combined average for the day was .441 with an .814 slugging percentage.
Up Next
After a day off on Saturday, the Utes and the Cougars will play one final time on Sunday at 12 p.m.
SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2025 campaign are now available. Fans can purchase season tickets by calling the Utah ticket office at 801-581-8849 or visit www.utahtickets.com/softball/.
OFFICIAL MOBILE APP OF UTAH ATHLETICS – UTAH 360
The official mobile app of Utah Athletics is Utah 360. Download it today to unlock a refreshed game-day experience, from managing tickets to mobile concessions ordering, as well as video content, news and information, schedules, rosters and stats. The app is available in both the Apple Store (download) and Google Play (download). Add it today, access your game tickets and download them to your smartphone's wallet to make yourself game-day ready.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @Utah_Softball |Instagram: @utahsoftball | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utessoftball).
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