CEDAR CITY, Utah — Southern Utah fell 8-2 in the final game of the series at Tarleton State on Saturday. The Thunderbirds fall to 16-23 on the year with a 2-7record in WAC play. The T-Birds will look to bounce back at home next week against Abilene Christian.
Southern Utah was led at the plate by sophomore Michaella Salvatierra and junior Arianna Ramirez, who each picked up two hits on the day. Ramirez added two RBIs, scoring both Salvatierra and freshman McKenzy Becerra.
Sophomore Hanna Duncan was tagged with the loss in the circle, pitching 1.2 innings, surrendering three runs on four hits. Freshman Avery Nielson pitched well in relief for the T-Birds, going 3.1 scoreless frames, striking out five, and holding the Texans hitless.
Coach Don Don Williams Said
"Obviously not the weekend we wanted, but now it's about how we respond. We'll get back home, get back to work, and focus on playing cleaner, more consistent softball. I expect our group to show up ready to compete and get us back on track next week."
Game Summary
The Thunderbirds scored early in the top of the first inning. Becerra picked up a two-out double, and that was followed by another double by Ramirez to give the T-Birds the 1-0 lead.
The Texans answered right away, scoring one run in the bottom of the first inning and adding another two runs in the bottom of the second to grab a solid 3-1 lead.
Salvatierra led off the top of the third inning with a single up the middle but advanced to second on a throwing error. Becerra moved her to third with a fly ball to right field, and a single on the infield by Ramirez scored Salvatierra to bring the score to 3-2.
Tarleton State exploded in the bottom half of the third inning, adding five runs on five hits and one error to take the commanding lead before Nielson entered to neutralize the threat.
The Thunderbirds picked up two hits in the fifth inning but were unable to push a run across the plate in what would be the biggest opportunity for Southern Utah over the final four innings.
On Deck
The T-Birds continue WAC play next week at home, welcoming Abilene Christian to Cedar City. The series will begin with a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, at 1:00 p.m. MT. The Thunderbirds will wrap up the three-game set against the Wildcats on Saturday, April 18, at noon MT. Live stats for the games will be available on the schedule link at suutbirds.com, and the games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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.
