Utah Valley University and Abilene Christian University each secured a win in their softball doubleheader on April 10 at Poly Wells Field in Abilene, Texas. Utah Valley won the first game 11-1 in five innings, while Abilene Christian responded with an 11-2 victory, also ending after five innings.
The games were notable for strong offensive performances from Utah Valley players Britney Moreno, Payge Armendariz, and Megan Sterzer. Moreno extended her reached-base streak to 19 games—the longest by any Wolverine since Madison Carr’s record-setting run of 31 consecutive games reaching safely in 2022. Moreno finished the day going two-for-four with three walks, two runs batted in, and three runs scored. Sterzer contributed by going two-for-five with a home run, four runs batted in, and scoring twice.
In the opening game, pitcher Lily Riley started for Utah Valley and allowed one earned run over four innings while striking out six batters before Hannah Ortega pitched the final inning. The Wolverines scored in every inning for only the second time this season. Angelique Mann brought home two runs early with a bases-loaded single followed by a sacrifice fly from Sterzer. After ACU’s solo home run cut into the lead, Moreno answered with her fourth homer of the year—a two-run shot—while Armendariz added another solo homer later.
A rally by Utah Valley added four more runs in the fourth inning thanks to Mann’s safety squeeze bunt and Sterzer’s three-run homer over left field. The team collected additional insurance runs before Ortega closed out the win.
Abilene Christian turned things around quickly in game two by scoring during each of its turns at bat to secure an early lead that resulted in an abbreviated contest due to run-rule regulations. Tatum Hall went two-for-two for Utah Valley as Maddie McSorley and Haygood drove in their team’s only runs of that matchup.
The series will conclude tomorrow morning at Poly Wells Field as both teams look to claim victory in their three-game set.
