NCAA SOFTBALL : Gutierrez Powers UCLA Past Utah, 7-2

Yvonne Gutierrez hit a tiebreaking three-run home run in the 10th inning to lead UCLA to a 7-2 victory over Utah on Saturday at UCLA, giving the Bruins one of eight regional championships in the NCAA Division I women’s softball tournament.

The top-seeded Bruins (49-2) swept two games in the best-of-three series against No. 20 Utah (25-20). UCLA defeated Utah, 1-0, on Friday. The Bruins advance to the national tournament, May 21-24, at Oklahoma City.

With the score tied, 2-2, Gutierrez hit a two-out home run over the center-field fence, scoring Kelly Inouye and Lisa Fernandez. It was Gutierrez’s eighth home run of the season and sparked a five-run inning.

Utah starter Janet Womack, who two-hit the Bruins in six innings Friday, was replaced by Melissa Halkinrude in the 10th inning after Gutierrez’s home run. Jennifer Brundage walked and Joanne Alchin hit a double to drive in Brundage. Alchin scored on an error by Halkinrude.

Womack (19-11) gave up six runs (two earned) and 10 hits, struck out five, walked four in 9 2/3 innings.

UCLA starter DeDe Weiman (11-1) struck out six, walked two and gave up two earned runs on three hits in four innings before Heather Compton (13-1) came on in relief. Compton struck out five, gave up three hits and walked one before being replaced by Fernandez (25-0), who started at third base.

The Bruins trailed, 2-0, until forcing extra innings on a run-scoring single by Brundage and a sacrifice fly by Jennifer Brewster in the seventh.

In other regionals:

--Third-seeded Fresno State (50-14) defeated ninth-seeded Cal State Northridge, 6-0, to win the best-of-three series in two games at Fresno State and advance to the national tournament.

--Fifth-seeded Cal State Fullerton defeated 15th-seeded Cal State Long Beach, 3-2, in 11 innings at Fullerton. The two teams will play again today, with Long Beach having to win twice in order to advance. Toledo, seeded 16th, was eliminated, losing to Fullerton, 1-0, and Long Beach, 2-0.