Southern Utah lost to UT Arlington 8-7 in a close softball game, according to an April 25 announcement. The Thunderbirds led for most of the matchup, but a series of late home runs by the Mavericks resulted in a walk-off win for UT Arlington. Despite this loss, Southern Utah finished with a 5-10 record in conference play and qualified for the conference tournament.
The outcome matters as it highlights Southern Utah’s ability to compete strongly throughout the game and secure a spot in postseason play despite setbacks. It also sets up their final regular season series against Utah Valley University.
Junior Taralyn Ollison led Southern Utah’s offense with two hits, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Sophomore Michaella Salvatierra added two hits and scored once, while freshman McKenzy Becerra drove in two runs at key moments. Junior Arianna Ramirez contributed with an RBI home run that kept momentum on Southern Utah’s side during the early innings.
Pitcher Hannah Duncan started strong for the Thunderbirds, allowing just three hits over four innings; all her allowed runs came from one three-run homer. Delaney Baker relieved out of the bullpen and held UT Arlington to only two hits across nearly three innings.
Southern Utah took an early lead by scoring first in the opening inning and continued adding runs through aggressive hitting and timely sacrifices into the fourth inning, building up a 7-0 advantage before UT Arlington began its comeback with multiple home runs across later frames. The Mavericks ultimately won on a walk-off homer in the seventh inning.
Looking ahead, Southern Utah will finish its regular season at home against Utah Valley University next weekend starting May 1 with a doubleheader. The teams will conclude their series on May 2 when seniors will be honored before heading into tournament play.
