Utah Softball Bags Two Wins

Wednesday, April 6

Orem, Utah

TBA

University of Utah

Utah Valley State

4/6/2005 12:00 AM | Softball

April 6, 2005

Utah-UVSC Game 1 -- Box Score
Utah-UVSC Game 2 -- Box Score

OREM, Utah - The University of Utah softball team turned in solid offensive and defensive performances as it snapped a three-game skid in taking a doubleheader away from Utah Valley State here this afternoon. The Utes nabbed 5-0 and 5-3 wins over the Wolverines.

Utah's bats pounded out 12 hits on the day and saw its pitchers combine to strikeout 22 Wolverine batters in picking up the pair of victories. The Utes improve to 11-16 for the year while UVSC stumbles to 8-25-1.

Hurlers Brianna Gourdin and Lindsie Nielsen each picked up a win in solid showings this afternoon. Gourdin got the day started with a victory in game one. She mowed down 10 Wolverine batters in allowing a mere three hits. Nielsen turned in a similar performance. Although she scattered nine hits, she fanned a season-high 12 UVSC batters.

Kate Nygaard and Jackie Wong each tallied three hits on day. Nygaard was 3-for-6 and Wong was 3-for-7. Lynsey Wall led all Utes with three RBI. She was 1-for-4 at the plate.

Utah 5, UVSC 0

Defensive at onset, both pitchers came out and tossed gems in the first three innings. The Utes' Gourdin fanned eight of the first 10 batters while UVSC's Jackie Roberts struck out four of the first nine.

The two hurlers combined to whiff 17 batters while only walking two. Gourdin tossed a three-hitter, mowing down 10 herself and walking only one. Roberts struck out seven, scattered seven hits and allowed four earned runs.

Seven different Utes tallied a hit in the first game while four plated at least one RBI. Leading the way was Sarah Lyman with two RBI.

Sleeping bats awoke in the fourth as Utah strategically plated two runs. Devina Quintero gave the Utes a 1-0 lead on a suicide squeeze play. Jackie Wong scored easily from third while Meghan Crouse advanced to third. Bryanne Durrence plated the insurance run when a single up the middle allowed Crouse to cross home from third.

The Utes struck again in the seventh, hanging another three runs on the board. Kelly Matthews hit a bloop-single to left, scoring Durrence from third. Lyman followed that up with a two-run double. That scored Nygaard from second and Matthews from first.

Utah 5 , UVSC 3

Stellar pitching was the motif for the afternoon as Nielsen stepped into the circle and picked up where Gourdin left off. Nielsen came out of the gate to strike out the first four batters and five of the first seven.

Seven Ute batters tallied a hit with Wong and Nygaard leading the way with a pair of hits each.

Like game one, Utah jumped out to 2-0 lead on the home team, this time in the third inning. With Wong on second and Matthews on third, Crouse sent a shot to the fence in right field. It turned into a bases-clearing triple, plating two runs for the visitors.

The Utes made it 3-0 in the fourth. With runners at second and third, Lynsey Wall hit a routine play to the shortstop, scoring Nygaard from third.

The Wolverines threatened in the bottom of the fourth. They loaded the bases with two outs but Nielsen rose to the occasion and got Sara Roskelley to strike out swinging. However, UVSC couldn't be held at bay as it scored on an RBI triple in the fifth, 3-1.

Utah extended its lead to a much-needed four-run cushion in the sixth. Wall stepped up and parked a shot over the left field fence, a two-run home run that also scored Sharee Fonoti and made it 5-1.

UVSC made the Utes work of their victory as the Wolverines staged a seventh-inning rally. UVSC cut the lead to 5-3, thanks to a two-run single by Rachel Hartgrove. The home team still had runners at the corners with one out but Nielsen put the nail in the coffin when Shea Seever struck out and Emily Cardenas grounded out to end the game.