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Bats Come Alive and Lopez Pitches Brilliantly in 8-3 Win over Oregon State

by Utah Athletics
May 14, 2021

SALT LAKE CITY – Haley Denning had a career-high four hits and starting pitcher Mariah Lopez shut down Oregon State for much of the game as Utah rode the momentum of a seven-run first inning to secure an 8-3 win and a doubleheader split on Friday evening at Dumke Family Stadium.
 
The win represented a strong bounce-back from the Utes, who lost the first game 7-1 on Friday afternoon. Utah pounded out 12 hits against the Beavers in the nightcap, topping the 10 hits it recorded in Thursday night's 3-1 win. The win provided a nice lift for the home crowd on a beautiful evening, and set the stage for a special day on Saturday when the Utes will recognize three seniors after their last game: Alyssa Barrera, Julia Noskin and Alyssa Palacios.
 
STANDOUT STAT
Utah's seven-run first inning included a pair of two-run homers, and was the Utes' highest-scoring inning since March 23 when they also scored seven in an inning against Utah Valley. Utah's season high for runs in an inning in 9 on Feb. 20 against California Baptist.
 
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Amy Hogue
"The difference tonight, and in last night's win, was that we stacked our hits together. Putting up three in one inning last night, and then seven in the first inning tonight, was the difference. That's something we've struggled to do all year. We've been spreading out our hits, so putting our hits together and putting up those crooked numbers has made the difference.
 
It's crazy how momentum is such a real thing. That is a great pitching staff (for Oregon State) and we put up a big number on them. We know who we'll face tomorrow and we have work to do, so it's going to be tough."

Game 1: OSU 7, Utah 1
Oregon State hit four home runs—solo shots in the first, second and fifth innings and a two-run blast in the seventh—and manufactured two runs in the fourth inning en route to the 7-1 win. Utah tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first when Haley Denning scored on an infield single by Madi Jacobus, but the Utes could not muster any offense the rest of way, managing just two hits over the final six innings.
 
Julia Noskin went 2-for-3 while Haley Denning and Madi Jacobus each went 1-for-3.
 
Game 2: Utah 8, OSU 3
Utah bounced back from the game-one loss, and another 1-0 OSU lead, to flip the script on the visiting Beavers. Starting pitcher Mariah Lopez earned the win, allowing just two hits and one run through the first four innings and four total hits in five-plus inning of work.
 
Haley Denning went 4-for-4 to set a career high and Madi Jacobus was 2-for-4 with an RBI as eight different Utah players had at least one hit in the game.
 
Utah erupted for seven runs in the first inning on nine hits, including two home runs, all with two outs. Alyssa Barrera began the rally with a base hit, the 242nd of her career, and moved to third on a double by Madi Jacobus. Ellessa Bonstrom lined a single to right field to score both baserunners, and came in to score when Jordyn Gasper followed with a double off the wall in right center extend Utah's lead to 3-1.
 
Destiny Quiles delivered her fourth home run of the season to push the lead to 5-1, and after an Elicia Espinosa walk, AJ Militello stepped up and blasted her fifth homer of the season to build a 7-1 lead before Oregon State could get out of the inning.
 
The Utes added one more run in the fourth when Denning led off with a single and came around to score on a single by Jacobus. Lopez improves to 5-13 on the season. Halle Morris pitched the final 1-2/3 innings and allowed just one hit.

NOTABLE

  • Utah's 12 hits are its most against a Pac-12 team in 2021. Utah had 10 in last night's win to tie a season high against a conference opponent.
  • Haley Denning's career-high four hits were the most since by a Utah player since Ally Dickman had 5 against BYU on May 1, 2019.

ON DECK
The Utes and Beavers wrap up their four-game series Saturday at 12 p.m. and celebrate senior day. The senior recognition for Alyssa Barrera, Julia Noskin and Alyssa Palacios will take place after the game. The game will be televised on Pac-12 Network Mountain and available on the Pac-12 Now app.

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