Utes Beaten by No. 3 Bruins, 7-3

Friday, March 30

Salt Lake City, Utah

6:00 PM

University of Utah

17-14, 0

UCLA

30-2, 0

UCLA

Utah

Photo by: Steve C. Wilson

3/30/2018 9:09 PM | Softball

Box Score UCLA 7 Utah 3

Walter's two-run double provides spark before late UCLA homer

SALT LAKE CITY - Utah Softball had a difficult time containing No. 3 UCLA for a second game in a row, falling 7-3 this evening at Dumke Family Softball Stadium.

Kylee Perez started things off by laying down a bunt and racing to first. An errant Utah throw allowed her to take second on the play.

Aaliyah Jordan continued her strong play with a RBI double before Rachel Garcia singled through the left side for a 2-0 lead. The big hit with two outs would be a theme of the evening for the visitors.

In the second, Kinsley Washington singled with two down and Brianna Perez tripled for a 3-0 edge.

Utah created some two-out magic of its own in the bottom half when Alyssa Palacios walked and Hailey Hilburn singled. Chandler Walter cracked a two-run double to get the Utes on the board and trim the deficit to one.

The Utes drew even in the third as Julia Noskin and BreOnna Castaneda singled. Heather Bowen bounced a ball to second and despite getting one of the runners, the UCLA relay throw was awry as Utah's speedy left fielder came home with the tying run.

UCLA quickly responded when Paige Halstead led off the fourth with a four-pitch walk. Brianna Perez drilled her second triple of the evening, again with two outs, to put her team back in front.

The Bruins got an even bigger hit in the fifth as Brianna Tautalafua walked and Garcia singled before Bubba Nickles crushed a three-run homer to take the air out of the ball park.

The Utes and Bruins conclude their three-game set tomorrow at 1 p.m. on the Pac-12 Networks.