Utes Surge Past Florida State in Softball Win

Saturday, May 7

Salt Lake City, Utah

3:00 PM

University of Utah

Florida State

5/7/2005 12:00 AM | Softball

May 7, 2005

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - The University of Utah softball team ended the regular season in the same fashion as it began. The Utes closed out the year with an 8-5 non-league win over Florida State here this afternoon.

The win launches the Utes (20-27 overall) into Mountain West Conference tournament play that begins on May 12. Florida State, losers of two straight, stumbles to 33-24 for the year.

Pitcher Brianna Gourdin bid the team's three seniors adieu with a win. She improves to 11-13 for the year. Gourdin fanned two, walked four and allowed eight hits and four earned runs. Lindsie Nielsen came on in relief to pitch 1.2 innings. She got the save in mowing down two and walking one. She also allowed one hit and one run.

FSU's Casey Hunter took the loss and is 19-15 this year.

The Utes rallied around their high-octane offense again as they tapped FSU hurlers for 11 hits and eight runs. Eight different Utes recorded an RBI and four had at least two hits. They were led by Devina Quintero's 3-for-4 effort. She also had one RBI and one run scored.

The Seminoles tallied nine hits and only two FSU batters had at least two hits on the day. BillieAnne Gay led the day with a 2-for-3 showing.

Utah seniors Texie Criddle, Kate Nygaard and Bryanne Durrence were all recognized after the game, suiting up for the last time at Ute Field.

The Seminoles broke a scoreless game with a pair of solo home runs in the fourth. But, Utah exploded for an unsurmountable seven runs in the fifth.

The Utes capitalized on a bases-loaded, one-out opportunity to seize the lead for good. Four RBI singles and three bases-loaded walks in the fifth inning pushed the home team past Seminoles, 7-2. Ivette Hernandez, Quintero, Lynsey Wall and Criddle all plated runs on singles while Durrence, Sharee Fonoti, and Jackie Wong drew bases-loaded walks.

FSU rallied in the sixth. Gourdin loaded the bases and then walked Veronica Wootson to make it 7-3 with one out. Nielsen came in and retired the side, but not before an RBI single made it 7-4.

Nygaard had an RBI in the sixth to make 8-4 and FSU tallied one last run in the seventh.