Utah Valley lost both games of a doubleheader against California Baptist on March 27, falling 3-0 in the first game and 3-2 in an extra-inning contest that lasted 11 innings.
The results mark a setback for the Wolverines, who were unable to overcome strong pitching performances from their opponents. The closely contested matchups highlight the importance of key defensive plays and timely hitting in conference play.
In the opener, Lily Riley pitched a complete game for Utah Valley but was outdueled by Miranda de Nava of California Baptist. After Britney Moreno led off with a single, de Nava retired the next nineteen batters. California Baptist scored two runs in the first inning and added another on a sacrifice fly in the sixth. Utah Valley threatened late but could not capitalize with runners on base.
The second game saw Utah Valley come back from an early deficit. Payge Armendariz started for the Wolverines, allowing two runs over five innings before Riley returned for relief duty. The Lancers took an early lead with a sacrifice fly and solo home run. Utah Valley responded as Hall’s line drive led to one run after an error, and Moreno tied it up with an RBI single in the fifth inning. Despite getting runners into scoring position several times late, Utah Valley could not push across another run. The deciding moment came when Hall dropped a pop fly behind first base, allowing California Baptist to score from second and win in walk-off fashion.
The teams are scheduled to conclude their three-game series tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m., with streaming available on ESPN+.
