One way or another, Utah picked up three quick victories to open the Outrigger Spring Fling Tournament.
Utah’s offense powered the 20th-ranked Utes to five-inning finishes in their first two wins then survived a brisk pitcher’s duel in a 1-0 win over Hawaii on Thursday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Utah had ended eight games early due to the eight-run rule this season, including its first two games in Hawaii. The Utes took 80 minutes to dispatch Charleston Southern 9-0 in five innings on Thursday, and the UH-Utah game was pushed up about 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled 6 p.m. start.
Utah’s Katie Donovan and Hawaii’s Brittany Hitchcock combined to make it another quick one with two efficient performances.
Donovan, a first-team All-Pac 12 selection the past two years, held UH to two hits, struck out five, walked none and retired the last 10 UH hitters in order to close out a complete-game victory.
Hitchcock matched her for most of the night, finishing with five strikeouts and a walk. Ultimately, a ball hit barely 10 feet in front of the plate ended being the decisive swing.
“She really wanted to pitch against them. I thought I’d give her the opportunity and I thought she did a good job,” UH coach Bob Coolen said.
Hitchcock earned a win over Utah as a freshman and was on the losing end of a 9-0 five-inning defeat last year in Las Vegas. She stifled a Utah lineup that entered the game hitting a collective .328, but the Utes managed to scratch out a run in the fourth.
Utah started the inning with consecutive singles to put runners on first and third. UH catcher Callee Heen threw out Hannah Flippen on a stolen base attempt and Hitchcock struck out Anissa Urtez. Heather Bowen fell behind two strikes then tapped a ball in front of the plate and beat Hitchcock’s throw to first, allowing Alyssa Barrera to cross the plate.
“I wanted to come back strong this year knowing I had beaten them before and just trusting my pitches,” Hitchcock said. “Callee did a great job calling. I felt we were mixing really well tonight to kind of keep them off balance and it came down to that one little bloop hit.”
The UH defense helped Hitchcock keep the Wahine within a run the rest of the way, but Donovan (9-4) kept Hawaii off balance and needed 85 pitches to earn her second shutout of the season.
“She had a lot of different pitches working for her, so we were able to utilize different speeds, different heights and both sides of the plate,” Utah coach Amy Hogue said, “and when she’s got that kind of stuff going we have a chance to get out that good of a hitting lineup.”
The Spring Fling continues today with UH scheduled to play Toledo at 6 p.m.
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Utah (16-4) 000 100 0 — 1 5 0
Hawaii (12-9) 000 000 0 — 0 2 0
Katie Donovan and Kelly Martinez. Brittany Hitchcock and Callee Heen. W—Donovan. L—Hitchcock.
Leading hitters—Utah: Alyssa Barrera, 2-3, 2B; Hannah Flippen, 2-3; Heather Bowen, RBI.
Thursday
Toledo 2, Charleston Southern 1
Utah 9, Charleston Southern 0 (5)
Today
Utah vs. Charleston Southern, 1 p.m.
Marist vs. Toledo, 3:30 p.m.
Toledo vs. Hawaii, 6 p.m.
