Competing in their third tournament of the season, the Southern Utah University women’s softball team faced off in the Easton Bama Bash starting on Friday, Feb. 21. Southern Utah competed against Drake University, the University of Alabama, and Virginia Tech University.
Southern Utah went 1-4 over the three days. SUU is now 3-11 on the season.
Game one
The first game of the five-game tournament was a tightly contested game against Drake. Both starting pitchers were solid, with SUU’s Emily Degaldo only giving up three hits through five innings.
In the bottom of the fourth, Amyah Boostedt laid down a bunt down the third base line that scored Tasha Hokanson, giving SUU a 1-0 lead.
With two outs and runners on first and third in the seventh, Frankie Rita hit a single up the middle, tying the game at 1.
In the bottom half of the seventh, Ariyana Miranda hit a hard ground ball to second that scored Taralyn Ollison and won the game for SUU 2-1.
Game two
Facing off against Alabama in game two, the Crimson Tide struck first with a home run off the bat of Kali Heivilin in the bottom of the second inning. Southern Utah tied the game back up in the top of the fourth with a home run from Arianna Ramirez.
In the bottom of the fourth, with girls on first and second, Alabama’s Kennedy Marceaux hit a three-run home run to retake the lead. In the bottom of the sixth, Alabama continued the onslaught of offense, adding five more runs and ending the game in a mercy rule, 9-1.
Game three
Going up against one of the nation’s best in Virginia Tech, SUU had their hands full early. VTU’s Michelle Chatfield kicked off the scoring with a two-run double. Cori McMillin followed that up with an RBI single.
Southern Utah’s offense struggled against Emma Mazzarone, only recording two hits in seven innings. Mazzarone also recorded a season-high 10 strikeouts.
Chatfield continued her stellar game with a home run in the fifth, giving Virginia Tech a 4-0 lead. SUU’s offense could never gain momentum and dropped their second-straight game.
Game four
In a rematch against Virginia Tech, Miranda hit a two-run double to left field to start the scoring for the T-Birds. Boosted continued the inning with an RBI double to left-center field, giving SUU a 3-0 lead.
To start the bottom of the fourth, SUU committed back-to-back fielding errors, letting the first two batters get on. Bre Peck made SUU pay, hitting a three-run home run, tying the game at three.
In the bottom of the fifth, McMillan doubled to right-center field, scoring two more runs and giving the Hokies the lead. Peck followed with an RBI single and secured the 6-3 win over Southern Utah.
Game five
To finish the Easton Bama Bash, SUU faced off against Drake. Miranda started things off for SUU with a groundout to third base that scored Michella Salvatierra. Drake responded with a two-run single off the bat of Ava Curry.
With Drake still up 2-1 going into the bottom of the third, Emma Dighton hit a double down the line, scoring Rita and extending the lead to 3-1.
Southern Utah’s offense continued to struggle, recording just two hits after the first inning and failing to put any pressure on the Bulldog’s defense.
SUU finished the tournament 1-4.
What’s next?
Southern Utah will compete in the Fresno State Invitational in Fresno, California, starting on Friday, Feb. 28.
Author: Jack Paul
Photographer: SUU Athletics
Editor: Chevy Blackburn
