# #

Utah Softball Bests No. 8 Stanford, Returns to Pac-12 Tournament Title Game

by Utah Athletics
May 10, 2024

STANFORD, Calif. – Sarah Ladd twirled six and 1/3 innings of one-run ball and Mariah Lopez got the final two outs for her first save of the season as the University of Utah softball escaped with a 2-1 victory over No. 8 Stanford Cardinal on Friday evening in the Pac-12 Tournament Semifinals at Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium in Stanford, Calif.  
 
The 34-19 Utes, who've now won four straight games, all of them over ranked foes, will have the chance to capture their second consecutive Pac-12 Tournament Championship on Saturday, when they'll take on either Arizona or UCLA.
 
"Shoutout to Sarah Ladd," said coach Amy Hogue. "She came out hot and did exactly what we needed her to do to feed our defense. I'm super proud of that win for her. It's probably the biggest we've had and in order to meet the goals we have as a program to get back into that championship, she was the one who led us there and I couldn't be more proud."
 
The Utes started the contest by giving their starting pitcher a lead, using a walk, an error and a Kaylah Nelsen RBI single to take a 1-0 lead. Nelsen came up clutch again in the third when, after hits by Aliya Belarde and Haley Denning, she punched another knock through the left side to double her team's edge.
 
"The top of the lineup really manufactured runs they way they know how," said Hogue. "Against a pitching staff like they have, you have to be glad when you put two runs on the board early and then have them chase you."
 
Ladd, meanwhile, was skillfully navigating through the Stanford order. She induced a grounder for a double play in the first, then stranded runners in scoring position in the second and third. The senior hurler followed that by retiring nine of the next 10 batters she faced to keep Utah's lead intact into the seventh.
 

 
In the final frame, Ladd got the first batter out, but a walk and an error put two runners on and Lopez took over in the circle. Lopez got the second out on a fly ball, but an infield hit and a hit batter tallied Stanford's first score and put the winning run on second. Emily Jones then slapped a grounder towards shortstop and when Kaitlyn Lim collided with Utah's Shonty Passi, Lim was called out for interference and the Utes secured their place in the Pac-12 Tournament title game.
 

 
Up Next
Utah's matchup against either UCLA or Arizona will begin at 8 p.m. MT. Fans can tune in on ESPN2.
 
Follow the Utes!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @Utah_Softball |Instagram: @utahsoftball | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utessoftball).

Related News & Videos