CEDAR CITY, Utah — Southern Utah fell in the final game of the series with UT Arlington 8-7 in a heartbreaker. The Thunderbirds led nearly the entire game, but a series of late home runs gave the Mavericks the walk-off win. SUU fell to 5-10 in conference play and, despite the loss, qualified for the conference tournament.
Southern Utah's offense came alive behind a strong showing from the top of the order, with junior Taralyn Ollison leading the charge in a 2-for-4 effort that included two runs scored and a pair of RBIs. Sophomore Michaella Salvatierra provided a steady presence alongside her, going 2-for-3 and adding a run as the Thunderbirds consistently applied pressure. Freshman McKenzy Becerra delivered in key moments, driving in two runs, while junior Arianna Ramirez added an RBI of her own via a home run to keep the momentum rolling.
Hannah Duncan set the tone early, working four innings and keeping hitters off balance while allowing just three hits, with all of the runs scored by way of a three-run home run. Delaney Baker followed out of the bullpen and provided a steady presence, scattering just two hits over 2.2 innings.
Coach Don Don Williams Said
"We came out with fire today and put together a really strong start, jumping out to a 7-0 lead and showing exactly what this offense is capable of. The lineup swung it well, and we competed hard until the very last pitch. I'm proud of the fight and the character our team showed in a tough road environment. We'll take those positives and keep building as we head into the final stretch of the season."
Game Summary
Southern Utah struck first in the opening inning after loading the bases with back-to-back-to-back singles. Kassidy Munoz was hit by a pitch to bring in the run, but the Mavericks ended the threat with a double play.
The Thunderbirds added on to the lead in the top of the third inning, Ollison scoring on a passed ball before McKenzy Becerra hit a towering sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Salvatierra. Arianna Ramirez followed that up with a home run to left field, pushing the lead to 4-0 before the end of the frame.
In the top of the fourth, the T-Birds continued to add runs. Loading the bases once again, Ollison drove the ball through the right side of the infield, pushing two runs across. Becerra picked up her second sac fly of the game to score Knight and extend the lead to 7-0 for Southern Utah.
The Mavericks cut into the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run home run. Duncan retired the next three batters to minimize the damage and keep the score at 7-3.
UTA narrowed the gap even further in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run home run, bringing the score to 7-5. In the sixth inning, the Mavericks hit another home run, this one a solo shot, making it a one-score game.
UT Arlington scored a walk-off with a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
On Deck
The T-Birds will wrap up the regular season with a home series against Utah Valley University next weekend. The three-game set will begin with a doubleheader on Friday, May 1 at 1:00 p.m. MT. The teams will have a single game on Saturday, May 2 at noon MT for the season finale. The Thunderbirds will honor the seniors on Saturday with a short presentation. All games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live stats are available through the link on the schedule page at suutbirds.com.
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