Softball Falls To Wisconsin, 9-5

Sunday, February 27

Palm Springs, Calif.

9:30 AM

University of Utah

Wisconsin (Palm Springs Classic)

2/27/2005 12:00 AM | Softball

Feb. 27, 2005

Box Score

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - Four errors spelled doom for the University of Utah softball team as it wrapped up play at the Palm Spring Classic with a 9-5 loss to Wisconsin here this afternoon.

All nine runs for the Badgers were unearned as they capitalized on each of the four Utah errors. The Utes stumble to a 6-9 mark for the year. UW evens its record out to 3-3.

Brianna Gourdin suffers the hard-luck loss in falling to 3-4 for the year. She struck out five, walked 1 and scattered 11 hits. All nine runs were unearned and six of Wisconsin's hits came with two outs and an error in the inning.

The Utes, who have struggled at the plate recently, did tap the Wisconsin pitchers for eight hits. Diana Phillips (2-for-4), Ivette Hernandez (2-for-4) and Devina Quintero (2-for-3) led the way with a pair of hits each for Utah. Phillips and Hernandez both led the way with two RBI.

Badger pitcher Eden Brock got the win in holding Utah to five runs, three of which were earned.

Wisconsin exploded in the fifth inning for six unearned runs. A three-run home run, an RBI single and another two-run homer gave the Badgers a comfortable six-run lead, 9-3. Utah responded in the bottom of the same frame with two unearned runs of its own. Diana Phillips scored on a throwing error and Hernandez belted an RBI double to make it 9-5.

The Utes spotted their rivals a three-run lead in the first when Ricci Robbin hit a three-run home run to left.

Utah countered with a run in the first and two in the second to tie it. Hernandez had an RBI double in the first to score Jackie Wong and Diana Phillips followed that in the second with a two-RBI double of her own. Kate Nygaard and Sharee Fonoti both scored to knot the game at three after two.

The Utes return to the diamond next weekend at the Texas A&M Tournament in College Station, Texas. Utah will play Miami (Ohio), McNeese State and Texas A&M over the three-day tourney.