Southern Utah University finished the LMU Tournament with a 3-1 record after splitting its games on Saturday, March 14. The Thunderbirds defeated Portland State 3-2 before falling to Loyola Marymount by the same score. The team now holds a 14-16 overall record as it heads into conference play.
The tournament results are important for Southern Utah as they prepare to begin Western Athletic Conference competition. The team will look to build on its recent performances and improve its standing in the upcoming games.
Several players contributed offensively during Saturday’s contests. Senior outfielder Taralyn Ollison went 3-for-6 across both games, scoring a run and driving in another in the opener. Savannah Lira had two hits and an RBI in game two, while Kassidy Munoz and Michaella Salvatierra each added an RBI in the first game. Riley Nielson earned the win against Portland State, pitching four innings and allowing two runs, while Hannah Duncan picked up the save with three innings of relief work.
In game two against Loyola Marymount, freshman Avery Nielson took the loss after giving up three runs over seven hits. Duncan again provided strong relief, pitching over two innings and striking out four batters.
Game summaries show that Southern Utah took an early lead against Portland State but had to come from behind after a home run by their opponent. Key hits from Ollison and Salvatierra helped secure the win. Against Loyola Marymount, Southern Utah fell behind early but rallied late in the game before ultimately losing by one run.
Looking ahead, Southern Utah will open Western Athletic Conference play next week against California Baptist at Kathryn Berg Field in Cedar City. The series begins Friday, March 20 with a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m., followed by another game on Saturday at noon. Live stats will be available on suutbirds.com and all games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
