Utah
Halle Morris’ 2-run HR lifts Utah past UCLA in first-ever Pac-12 softball championship
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TUCSON, Arizona — Picked to finish the season eighth in the conference standings, Utah softball defied the odds en route to a No. 3 seed (and No. 17 rank nationally) in the inaugural Pac-12 tournament hosted at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium.
The Utes sent the sixth-seeded California Bears and second-seeded Washington Huskies packing in the quarterfinal and semifinals rounds, respectively, to earn a spot in the first-ever Pac-12 championship game against a highly-favored UCLA squad on a 25-game win streak.
But like many other programs at the University of Utah this season, the Pac-12 championship game is where the Utes shine most. And in the end, it was the Utah softball team hoisting the trophy after a 7-4 win over the Bruins.
Utah outhit UCLA 12-7, and used a sixth inning rally to put some distance on the Bruins to secure a win.
Facing a tied game, 4-4, in the top of the sixth inning, Ellessa Bonstrom got the Utes going with a single to center field after Aliya Belarde hit a pop out to first base. Hailee White followed with a double to right center that sent Bonstrom home for the go-ahead score.
After a swinging strikeout from Shelbi Ortiz, Halle Morris was inserted into the lineup as a pinch hitter for catcher Kendall Lundberg, who went 0-for-3 on Saturday night.
The move paid off big time for the Utes.
Morris fought through seven pitches, two of which she fouled off, before the eighth and deciding pitch went yard for a two-run shot to center field to give the Utes a commanding three-run lead in Morris’ home town. The second the ball came off the bat, Morris knew and raised both hands in the air as she sprinted around the bases while screaming in excitement.
The Bruins couldn’t get much going in the bottom of the sixth, where Utah pitcher Mariah Lopez walked two and allowed a single, and then were shutout in the seventh and final inning in a three up, three down scenario with two groundouts and a swinging strikeout to secure the victory.
Lopez finished the night with three earned runs, five strikeouts and seven walks on 131 pitches in a complete game effort. But her final strikeout of the night ended UCLA’s comeback hopes, and the Utes won in thrilling fashion.
UCLA looked the part early and took a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a two-run home run from Aaliyah Jordan to right field with two outs. But Utah’s Karlie Davison took a little bit of the excitement away with a solo shot to left center to put the Utes on the board for its first points of the night.
The Bruins scored another run in the bottom of the third inning when a wild pitch got past Lundberg and Kelli Godin scored to retake a two-run lead.
But the Utes never conceded an inch.
In the top of the fourth inning, Kaylah Nelson hit a shot down the left field line for a double that scored Haley Denning and Abby Dayton. Four batters later, Ortiz singled to left field to send Jordyn Gasper, who pinch ran for Nelson, home to give the Utes the go-ahead run and its first lead of the night.
UCLA equalized in the bottom of the fourth inning when Jordan Woolery singled down the left field line to send Janelle Meono home for the tying run.
Utah will now wait to see where it lands in the NCAA Tournament during the organization’s Selection Show on May 14 (ESPN2, 5 p.m. MDT).