Softball Falls in Another Close Battle with Cal

Sunday, April 11

Berkeley, CA

1:00 PM

University of Utah

16-18, 0

California

16-12, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Utah	0	1	2	0	1	0	0	4	7	2
California	0	0	2	2	0	2	X	6	9	1

Utah Softball game vs. CBU Feb. 20, 2021 at UNLV's Eller Media Stadium

Photo by: Lucas Peltier

Softball Falls in Another Close Battle with Cal

4/11/2021 3:59 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score

Host Bears defeat Utes, 6-4, for 3-1 series win

BERKELEY, Calif. – Utah built a 3-0 lead in the third inning but again could not keep the host Cal Bears off the scoreboard when timely hits were needed, and fell, 6-4, Sunday in the finale of a four-game series at Levine-Fricke Field. The Utes fell behind 4-3, but tied the game in the fifth, only to see Cal break through with two more in the sixth for the 6-4 win to take the series, 3-1.

Utah is now 16-18 on the year (2-10 Pac-12), while Cal improves to 16-12 (3-6 Pac-12).

Utah struck first with one run in the second inning after loading the bases on two singles and a walk. Alyssa Palacios drew a walk to bring Bonstrom home but could not do any more damage. The Utes added two more in the third on a double by Bonstrom that scored Julia Noskin and a single by Halle Morris to score Bonstrom for a 3-0 lead.

Cal responded with a pair of runs in each of the third and fourth innings to take a 4-3 lead before Bonstrom evened the score with a leadoff home run in the fifth, her 10th of the year. Halle Morris pitched well in relief of starter Mariah Lopez, but Cal managed to push across two more runs in the bottom of the sixth and put the Utes down in order in the top of the seventh to secure the win.

STANDOUT STAT
Ellessa Bonstrom had a monster day at the plate, going 3-4 with a home run and a double, with two RBI and three runs scored. In three games played in the series she was 5-10 with two home runs, a double, five RBI and four runs scored.

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Amy Hogue
"We have to be more disciplined in the fundamentals of this game to win these close ones. So many times we have been a bit late in the game because we fail to do what we know the game is asking us to do. We didn't execute well today. Small things became big things and we lost a lead and eventually the game because of it."

??HOME RUN!!??

10th of the year for @ellessabonstrom and we're tied!!

T5
Utah 4
Cal 4

?? Pac-12 Network Mountain
?? https://t.co/6rByum8LSW pic.twitter.com/miD8mzgGWu
— Utah Softball ?? (@Utah_Softball) April 11, 2021

NOTABLE

Ellessa Bonstrom's home run was her team-leading 10th of the year.
After having two hits in each of the first three games of the series, Haley Denning was 0-4 today
Julia Noskin was 2-4 today, her eighth multi-hit game of the season to tie for second-most on the team.
In a closely-contested series, Cal won 3 of 4 games while outscoring Utah just 18-14 for the series.

ON DECK
Utah returns home after seven games in the past six days, and will host Weber State on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Dumke Family Softball Stadium.

Clutch hit from @hallemorris24 to score @ellessabonstrom!

Two runs now after two outs!

?? Pac-12 Network Mountain
?? https://t.co/6rByum8LSW pic.twitter.com/7xggFAW0vf
— Utah Softball ?? (@Utah_Softball) April 11, 2021