LAS VEGAS, Nevada – The Southern Utah Softball opened the Rebel Classic with a tough loss against Santa Clara University 6-0. The tournament's second game was an 8-4 come-from-behind win for the T-Birds over the University of Tulsa.
Ariyana Miranda led Southern Utah at the plate, picking up two hits and two RBIs. Also swinging the bat well for the Thunderbirds was junior Karmyna Becerra, who collected two hits and an RBI on the day. Shelby Basso scored a clutch hit with two RBIs that helped the Thunderbirds win in game two.
In the circle, junior Keimon Winston got the start in game one, pitching three innings, allowing zero runs on four hits while striking out five. Freshman Delaney Baker got the loss in relief, allowing six runs on nine hits over three innings pitched. Game two was started by freshman Emily Delgado, who pitched 5.2 impressive innings, striking out five hitters to keep the Thunderbirds in it. Shelby Basso earned the victory in the game by closing out the sixth and seventh innings.
Coach Don Don Williams Said
"It was nice to see the team battle and win a game in late innings. Shelby Basso had a clutch performance for us on offense and in the circle to close the game."
Game 1 Recap
Santa Clara's offensive onslaught began in the 4th inning, as they capitalized on critical hits from players like Salmon and Charpentier, bringing home a total of four runs. Not content with their lead, Santa Clara continued to press in the 5th inning, with Salmon once again delivering a crucial hit to extend their lead to six runs.
Despite Southern Utah's efforts, Santa Clara finished on top, closing the game with a solid pitching effort.
Game 2 Recap
It was a back-and-forth battle of offense and defense between Southern Utah and Tulsa. Tulsa took an early lead in the second inning as Skaggs doubled up the middle, driving in Bearpaw, followed by Wood's double to right field, bringing Skaggs home again, putting Tulsa up by 2. Tulsa extended their lead in the third with Edwards' triple, bringing Denson home. However, Southern Utah rallied in the fourth inning with Ariyana Miranda's powerful homer to left field, scoring Emily Gonzalez and narrowing the gap to one. The momentum continued for Southern Utah in the fifth as Karmyna Becerra's single brought Alayah Toscano home, tying the game at 3-3. The game intensified in the seventh inning as Miranda Lopez's single and Shelby Basso's double brought in crucial runs for Southern Utah, giving them a lead of 6-4. Basso later scored on a wild pitch, and Kassidy Munoz walked bringing in another run, securing Southern Utah's victory with a final score of 8-4.
Southern Utah's resilience and late-game offensive surge proved to be the deciding factor, overcoming Tulsa's early lead and securing a well-deserved win. Southern Utah's timely hitting and strategic base running ultimately sealed the victory. With this win, Southern Utah moved to 7-5 on the season and demonstrated their ability to perform under pressure and come out on top against a formidable opponent like Tulsa.
Next Up
The Thunderbirds will continue the Rebel Classic tomorrow morning with another game against Tulsa at 11:00 a.m. MT. The T-Birds will wrap up day two by squaring off with the host UNLV Rebels at 4:00 p.m. MT.
Follow Us
Stay up to date on the Thunderbird Softball team by following @SUUSoftball on Twitter and Instagram, and liking the Southern Utah softball page on Facebook.
Donate
To help support Thunderbird athletics, consider making a donation today! To learn more about how you can support, click here.
