TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (Monday, May 20, 2024)— Sixth-seeded Salt Lake stumbled in the first round of the NJCAA Softball World Series, falling 9-6 against the Wallace State Lions.

SLCC saw a seventh-inning comeback fall short with the tying run at the plate after entering the frame trailing by five. 

Recap
The Lions used four hits and a two-run homer off of Shelbee Jones to take a 3-0 lead after half an inning of play. 

Salt Lake responded with two runs on a pair of hits in the bottom of the first. Redshirt freshman Lexi Shaver drove in Miranda Mansfield with an RBI single, while Redshirt sophomore Bailey Marvin accounted for the other run, driving in Kendyl Purdy with a sac fly.

After a long first inning, both pitchers settled in as the bats went quiet until the fifth. 

Singles put two on with one down for the Lions in the top of the fifth when Bayleigh Rouse roped her second long ball of the day over the left field fence. Jones stranded a runner at third to end the inning with SLCC trailing 6-2.

Salt Lake sliced the deficit in half after Jones and Erin Robinson converted a double steal with two down in front of Chloe Woods. The sophomore DP singled in both runs to make it 6-4. Kylee Reusch struck out looking to end the inning. 

Tiffany Hermansen replaced Jones in the circle to start the sixth. Jones left after allowing ten hits and six earned runs. Hermansen threw a scoreless sixth to keep the Bruins within two.

Wallace State added three insurance runs in the seventh to take a 9-4 lead into the final half-inning. 

The first two Bruins reached in the seventh before scoring on back-to-back singles from Jettlee Ioane and Woods, bringing SLCC within three.

Khloie Kramer pinch ran for Woods and stole second, putting two in scoring position for Salt Lake's eight and nine-hole hitters. After Reusch struck out swinging, Aubree Leonard pinch-hit for Emma Bradley-Tse and popped out for the second out. Purdy struck out swinging to end the game. 

Up Next
No. 5 Salt Lake enters the losers bracket and will continue the NJCAA National tournament on Wednesday, May 22, at 10 a.m. MT.

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