Softball Blanks UCR, 5-0

Friday, April 15

Salt Lake City, Utah

3:00 PM

University of Utah

Cal Riverside

4/15/2005 12:00 AM | Softball

April 15, 2005

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - After getting off to a slow start, the University of Utah softball team jumped all over California-Riverside in collecting a 5-0, non-league win here this afternoon.

The Utes scored in each of their last three at-bats, including a three-run fifth inning, in upping their record to 13-20 for the year. The Highlanders stumble to 11-32 overall.

Ute hurler Lindsie Nielsen continues to stymie the opposing batters. After a five-inning, six-strikeout performance in relief on Wednesday, the Sandy native went the distance today in mowing down nine, walking one and scattering four hits. She improves to 5-10 for the year. Highlander Danira Iolamo took the loss and is 2-2 this season.

Three Utes tallied multi-hit outings today, led by Kate Nygaard's 3-for-3 outing. Ivette Hernandez did the most damage, though. She was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs. She also belted her team-high seventh homer for the year. Bryanne Durrence bagged a pair of hits too, going 2-for-4.

Hernandez' solo home run in the fourth to right field got the offense rolling for Utah as it gave the home team a slim 1-0 lead.

But, Utah saw its lead stretch to four runs with a three-run fifth. Devina Quintero plated the insurance run and made it 2-0 with an RBI-single up the middle. Diana Phillips, who stretched her hitting streak to seven games, scored from second. The Utes would then score two runs off of bases-loaded walks. A walk to Sharee Fonoti scored Hernandez and another walk to Lynsey Wall allowed Nygaard to score.

The final Ute run came in the sixth inning. Phillips sent a long, routine fly ball to right-center field. However, a collision between the right and centerfielder allowed the ball to safely drop and Phillips to score.

Mountain West Conference action is up next for Utah as it returns to the diamond tomorrow afternoon. The Utes host Colorado State in doubleheader action starting at noon.