SEATTLE – Seattle University softball beat Utah Valley, 5-1, on Friday to advance to the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament Championship for the second straight season. Carley Nance pitched a complete game and hit two home runs to lead the Redhawks to a second straight tournament win at Logan Field.
Seattle U advances to face the winner of Friday night's Utah Valley/NM State game on Saturday. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. at Logan Field.
In the bottom of the first, Utah Valley singled and drew three walks to take a 1-0 lead. SU starter Carley Nance settled in from there, striking out two in the second. In the third, Mekenzie Madokoro sparked a rally with a single through the right side. An Alyson Matriotti bloop hit put two runners aboard. With two outs, Ally Choate singled to left and Matriotti dashed home with the tying run.
Nance worked around an error for a scoreless third. She then came to bat with one out in the fourth. Nance drilled a 1-0 delivery into the netting above the rightfield wall for a solo homer and a 2-1 advantage.
In the bottom half of the fourth, Nance got two line-drive outs and a strikeout to send the game to the fifth. After a scoreless fifth, Nance blasted another solo shot over the rightfield fence. After Cherise Silvan singled, Stephanie Merwin hit a double down the leftfield line to plate Silvan for a 4-1 lead. UVU changed pitchers, but Mekenzie Madokoro greeted the new hurler with a base hit. Matriotti singled to left to score Merwin to make it 5-1.
Nance closed out the game from there, wrapping up a complete game for her second win in two days. Nance, Madokoro, and Matriotti each tallied two hits. Nance gave up three hits and one run while striking out six hitters.
Seattle U advances to face the winner of Friday night's Utah Valley/NM State game on Saturday. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. at Logan Field.
In the bottom of the first, Utah Valley singled and drew three walks to take a 1-0 lead. SU starter Carley Nance settled in from there, striking out two in the second. In the third, Mekenzie Madokoro sparked a rally with a single through the right side. An Alyson Matriotti bloop hit put two runners aboard. With two outs, Ally Choate singled to left and Matriotti dashed home with the tying run.
Nance worked around an error for a scoreless third. She then came to bat with one out in the fourth. Nance drilled a 1-0 delivery into the netting above the rightfield wall for a solo homer and a 2-1 advantage.
In the bottom half of the fourth, Nance got two line-drive outs and a strikeout to send the game to the fifth. After a scoreless fifth, Nance blasted another solo shot over the rightfield fence. After Cherise Silvan singled, Stephanie Merwin hit a double down the leftfield line to plate Silvan for a 4-1 lead. UVU changed pitchers, but Mekenzie Madokoro greeted the new hurler with a base hit. Matriotti singled to left to score Merwin to make it 5-1.
Nance closed out the game from there, wrapping up a complete game for her second win in two days. Nance, Madokoro, and Matriotti each tallied two hits. Nance gave up three hits and one run while striking out six hitters.