Upcoming Event: Softball versus UCSB on February 6, 2026 at 2 p.m.
2 p.m.
Softball
vs UCSB
The University of Utah Athletics
Saturday, April 20
Salt Lake City, Utah
12:00 PM
University of Utah
15-28, 0
5
vs
4
Washington
38-7, 0
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2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Washington
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
4
8
0
Utah
0
0
0
0
0
5
X
5
6
1
Photo by: Steve C. Wilson
Barrera's Grand Slam Seals Win Over No. 3 Washington, 5-4
4/20/2019 2:50 PM | Softball
SALT LAKE CITY – Alyssa Barrera hit a grand slam in the sixth inning as Utah Softball put together a furious rally to top No. 3 Washington on Saturday.
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Trailing 4-0, Utah strung together three-straight singles off UW's Gabbie Plain thanks to Ryley Ball, Julia Noskin and Ally Dickman. A walk to Ellessa Bonstrom brought home Utah's first run and Barrera clobbered a 2-2 pitch over the wall in center to send the Dumke Family Softball Stadium crowd into a frenzy.
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Barrera was also the hero the last time Utah beat a team ranked in the Top 5 nationally. She delivered a walk-off hit to seal the series against No. 1 Arizona in 2017, also at home.
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Plain was 17-1 on the season entering today's contest, and won the first two games of this series. She had allowed just one earned run in her last eight contests and the five she was tagged for today were a season-high. Utah came into Saturday, 4-for-44 against Plain over the last two seasons, including a perfect game last season in Seattle
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However, the game started with another UW hurler putting up zeroes. Taran Alvelo held the Utes to one hit over the first four innings before being replaced. Meanwhile, Utah freshman Sydney Sandez surpassed her with five shutout innings of work and 102 pitches on her way to a team-high seventh win.
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Sandez did have her struggles, but worked her way out of trouble on a handful of occasions. With the bases loaded in the first, she induced a ground ball to Noskin at second. With runners on the corners in the third, she was able to get a pop up to Noskin. Finally, in the fifth with the bases loaded and no outs, Ball bailed her out with a diving catch in left before a pair of plays by Noskin ended the threat.
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Washington broke through with four hits at the onset of the sixth. SilentRain Espinoza started with a RBI single and Amirah Milloy added a two-run triple. She scored on a Sis Bates ground ball and all of a sudden, UW had a 4-0 lead.
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After Barrera's second grand slam of the season, Utah turned to Hailey Hilburn in the circle to close it out. The senior worked a 1-2-3 frame for her first save since recording two during her freshman campaign.
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The Utes are back home on Tuesday vs. Weber State at 4 p.m. for Fan Appreciation Day
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Trailing 4-0, Utah strung together three-straight singles off UW's Gabbie Plain thanks to Ryley Ball, Julia Noskin and Ally Dickman. A walk to Ellessa Bonstrom brought home Utah's first run and Barrera clobbered a 2-2 pitch over the wall in center to send the Dumke Family Softball Stadium crowd into a frenzy.
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GRAND SLAM ALYSSA BARRERA!!!!!! GRAND SLAM ALYSSA BARRERA!!!!!!
— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) April 20, 2019
ALL OF THE EMOTIONS! ????????#GoUtes ???? pic.twitter.com/jzQGD2Ueka
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Barrera was also the hero the last time Utah beat a team ranked in the Top 5 nationally. She delivered a walk-off hit to seal the series against No. 1 Arizona in 2017, also at home.
Â
Plain was 17-1 on the season entering today's contest, and won the first two games of this series. She had allowed just one earned run in her last eight contests and the five she was tagged for today were a season-high. Utah came into Saturday, 4-for-44 against Plain over the last two seasons, including a perfect game last season in Seattle
Â
However, the game started with another UW hurler putting up zeroes. Taran Alvelo held the Utes to one hit over the first four innings before being replaced. Meanwhile, Utah freshman Sydney Sandez surpassed her with five shutout innings of work and 102 pitches on her way to a team-high seventh win.
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Sandez did have her struggles, but worked her way out of trouble on a handful of occasions. With the bases loaded in the first, she induced a ground ball to Noskin at second. With runners on the corners in the third, she was able to get a pop up to Noskin. Finally, in the fifth with the bases loaded and no outs, Ball bailed her out with a diving catch in left before a pair of plays by Noskin ended the threat.
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Welcome back Ryley Ball!#GoUtes ???? pic.twitter.com/5NxdZbv6hH
— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) April 20, 2019
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Washington broke through with four hits at the onset of the sixth. SilentRain Espinoza started with a RBI single and Amirah Milloy added a two-run triple. She scored on a Sis Bates ground ball and all of a sudden, UW had a 4-0 lead.
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After Barrera's second grand slam of the season, Utah turned to Hailey Hilburn in the circle to close it out. The senior worked a 1-2-3 frame for her first save since recording two during her freshman campaign.
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The Utes are back home on Tuesday vs. Weber State at 4 p.m. for Fan Appreciation Day
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sandez, Sydney (7-7)
L: Plain, Gabbie (17-2)
S: Hilburn, Hailey (1)
Batting:
2B: Huskey, Madison 1 ; Milloy, Amirah 1
3B: Milloy, Amirah 1
RBI: Bates, Sis 1 ; Espinoza, SilentRain 1 ; Milloy, Amirah 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Huskey, Madison 1 ; Atlee, Taryn 1 ; Espinoza, SilentRain 1 ; Milloy, Amirah 1
Batting:
2B: Dickman, Ally 1 ; Castaneda, BreOnna 1
HR: Barrera, Alyssa 1
RBI: Bonstrom, Ellessa 1 ; Barrera, Alyssa 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Noskin, Julia 1 ; Dickman, Ally 1 ; Bonstrom, Ellessa 1 ; Barrera, Alyssa 1 ; Ball, Ryley 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
4
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
UTIL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P/UTIL
/ Softball
INF/OF
/ Softball
P
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