Quick Start Helps Utah Softball Defeat UVU, 8-3

Tuesday, April 5

Salt Lake City

4:00 PM

University of Utah

Utah Valley

Quick Start Helps Utah Softball Defeat UVU, 8-3

4/5/2011 12:00 AM | Softball

April 5, 2011

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - Tia Palauni hit two home runs to lead the University of Utah softball team to an 8-3 win over Utah Valley Tuesday at Ute Softball Field.

Utah (20-16) extended its season-long win streak to five games and has won eight of its last nine contests. After falling behind 1-0 after the bottom of the first inning, the Utes benefited from clutch hits with two outs to score eight unanswered runs against the Wolverines.

"We talk about clutch hitting a lot," Utah head coach Amy Hogue said. "Not just with two outs, but in any situation. We just want to get big hits in any situation. We were just aggressive as hitters all day today and that's the strategy we're going to stick with."

Palauni now owns the team high with seven home runs and has hit 16 home runs over her career. She knocked in four runs for the Utes against Wolverines and the Taylorsville, Utah native now has 22 RBI this season and 55 over her career.

Three other Utes had two-hit performances, including Chalese Fankhauser, Kelsi Hoopiiaina and Cheyella Myers.

On the mound, Generra Nielson got her 23rd start this season and pitched the first two innings and allowed one earned run on two hits to go with three strikeouts and a walk.

Naomi Amu came on for the next three innings and did not allow a hit or earned run. The Oceanside, Calif., native did not walk a batter and also registered a pair of strikeouts. She was credited with the win in the decision and climbed back to .500 this season at 6-6.

"[Naomi] was great today," Hogue said. "That's what we've seen her do during preseason and as a closer, that's all you need. Come into the game and keep the ball down, get ahead of hitters and get ground balls."

Senior Brittany Parker pitched the final two innings and allowed one earned run on four hits. She also had a strikeout.

Utah Valley struck first in the top of the first inning thanks to a pair of two-out doubles to put the Wolverines up 1-0.

With runners on second and third base with one out, Palauni answered by hitting her sixth home run of the season over the left-center field for three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Utah's clutch two-out hitting continued into the second inning as Tara Glover ripped a triple to right-center field with a runner on second base. Glover now leads the Mountain West Conference with five triples this year. Fankhauser and Palauni followed with back-to-back home runs to put Utah in front by a score of 7-1. With two RBI this afternoon against UVU, Fankhauser now has four round-trippers this season to go with 19 RBI so far during her freshman campaign.

After consecutive singles down the left and right-field lines by Sandi Bowles and Myers, Jackie Sweet rolled an RBI groundout to the Wolverine second baseman to push Bowles across the plate for Utah's eighth run of the ballgame. Sweet has driven in seven runs so far in her first season at Utah.

Utah Valley scored two more runs in the sixth inning to make the final margin 8-3. With the win, the Utes improved 5-8 this season when their opponents score first.

The Utes host Weber State in a doubleheader tomorrow at Ute Softball Field. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.