WESTWOOD, Calif.—Utah’s Kirsten Stewart drove in a pair of runs in the top of the first inning to give the Utes an early 2-0 lead, but the UCLA Bruins scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and tacked on an insurance run in the sixth en route to a 4-2 Pac-12 conferenc-win Saturday evening at Easton Stadium.
Hannah Flippen led off the game with a walk and Kate Dickman later reached first base on an error to give the Utes a pair of runners and just one out. Dickman stole second base and Stewart promptly followed with a single up the middle to score both runs and give Utah the 2-0 advantage.
UCLA starting pitcher Selina Ta’amilo (W, 5-1) would get out of the inning and gave up just one more hit – a bunt single from Maddy Woodard – on the way to earning the win in the circle for the Bruins.
Katie Donovan (ND) got the start for the Utes and she cruised through her first four innings of the game before giving up a solo home run to Gracie Goulder and a single to Allexis Bennett in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Mariah Ramirez (L, 3-1) was then called on to take over for Donovan and she gave up a double to Ally Carda, which scored Bennett to tie the game at 2-2. Carda moved to third when Delaney Spaulding bunted her over and she then scored the go-ahead run when Spaulding was caught in a rundown between first and second base.
Brittany Moeai made it a 4-2 game in the bottom of the fifth inning with a solo home run to right field and Carda (S, 2) helped secure UCLA’s victory with two innings of no-hit softball on the way to earning her second save of the season.
Utah fell to 17-8 overall with the loss and are now 0-2 in Pac-12 play. UCLA moved to 26-5 overall and 2-0 in conference play with the win.
Both teams will be back in action Sunday afternoon to close out the series. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. PT/4 p.m. MT and the game will be aired live on the Pac-12 Networks.