Utah Wins First-Ever Softball Game Televised on MLB Network
Day two of the NFCA Leadoff Classic is in the books, and the Lady Utes had another doubleheader on their hands, this time against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the North Carolina Central Eagles.
An added layer of bragging rights was placed on the matchup against the Irish, as it was the first-ever softball game broadcast to MLB Network, allowing the Utes to showcase their electric style of play, and they didn't disappoint.
Utah vs Notre Dame
It was a perfect 78 and sunny in Clearwater, Florida, as the Utes looked to impose their brand of softball in the first of two games for the day.
Leading off the first, the Utes opened the scoring after Julia Jimenez reached on an error allowing Aliya Belarde to cross home plate. Karlie Davison drove in Jimenez on a center-field double and would've grabbed a second RBI however, Kaylah Nelsen was thrown out at home after an 8-4-2 turn.
The Utes added to their lead in the third after Haley Denning scored on a wild pitch and Kendall Lundberg smacked a double down the line to drive in Davison, making the score 4-0 heading into the fourth.
Jimenez stretched the lead to 6 in the fourth after a double to right-center knocked in Denning and Belarde.
The onslaught continued in the fifth as Leilani Melendez roped one to right-center, granting her a double and two RBIs, driving in Abby Dayton and Reese Lee.
The Irish drove in two runs in the fifth after a double to left center and added to the score tally again in the sixth after a SAC FLY put a third run on the board.
The game ended 9-3 as Utah put up a whopping 18 hits to Notre Dame's 10 and Mariah Lopez got the win on the mound with Raci Miranda earning the save.
Utah vs N.C. Central
After the impressive outing against the Irish, the Utes looked to continue their momentum into the second half of their day two doubleheader, and they did just that.
The Utes touched home plate first as Denning reached after a Nelsen knock led to a fielder-choice situation.
The scoring resumed in the fourth after a wild pitch brought Davison home, and it continued into the fifth as Nelsen singled up the middle driving in Belarde. Melendez followed up with a single up the middle of her own in the sixth, allowing Lee to head home, extending the lead, 4-0.
If the Eagle's chances weren't slim to none going into the seventh, the Utes made sure of it after a 3-run explosion put the final nails in the coffin. Dayton singled, driving in Jimenez, followed by a Shelbi Ortiz single, which knocked in Davison from third. Lundberg grounded out to short advancing Dayton from third to home, growing the score to a whopping 7-0.
Sarah Ladd moved to 2-0 on the year after pitching 6 shutout innings, allowing only 6 hits in 23 at-bats. The Utes moved to 3-1 on the year and will look to make it 4-1 as they will face the Iowa Hawkeyes on the final day of the NFCA Leadoff Classic.