SALT LAKE CITY — Through six-and-a-half innings, the 21st-ranked BYU softball team held the slimmest advantage over No. 16 Utah on the Utes’ home field during the NCAA regional in Salt Lake City.
But softball games aren’t played through just six and a half innings.
Pinch hitter Hailey Hilburn stroked a one-out single into shallow center field to drive in the game-winning run and Utah walked off with a 3-2 victory over rival BYU at Dumke Family Stadium in Friday’s game.
The reserve sophomore belted a single into the center-field gap to score pinch runner Aubrey Peterson from third and sent the Utes into Saturday’s regional championship final just one win away from next week’s Super Regional.