Dayton, Morris have key hits as Utah makes WCWS with 7-2 win over San Diego State

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Abby Dayton had an RBI triple to highlight a four-run second inning and pinch-hitter Hallie Morris wrapped it up with a two-run single in the sixth to lead 15th-seeded Utah to a 7-2 win over San Diego State on Sunday for the Utes’ first trip to the Women’s College World Series since 1994.

Utah (43-15) lost the first game of the best-of-3 Salt Lake City Super Regional 4-3 but bounced back with a 10-1 win to force a deciding game for its sixth trip to the championships.

The final game drew a record crowd of 3,083.

San Diego State (40-18) took a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the top of the second.

Dayton tied the game with a one-out triple and scored the go-ahead run on an error by SDSU pitcher Allie Light (15-7) that also allowed Haley Denning to score. Aliya Belarde singled to plate Shelbi Ortiz.

The Aztecs got a run back in the fourth but gave that back in the fifth with an unearned run for the Utes.

Dayton and Denning, who recorded her 100th career steal earlier in the game, singled to open the sixth before Morris delivered a two-out single to center..

Mariah Lopez (23-6) went five innings for the win, allowing two runs on four hits. She walked three, two with two outs in the fifth before getting out of trouble with her sixth strikeout. Sarah Ladd pitched the last two innings for her third save.

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