Utah, New Mexico Split Twinbill

Sunday, April 16

Albuquerque, N.M.

12:00 PM

University of Utah

New Mexico (DH)

4/16/2006 12:00 AM | Softball

April 16, 2006

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The University of Utah softball team (26-13 overall, 5-3 Mountain West Conference) saw its four-game winning streak come to an end with a 5-2 loss to New Mexico (21-21, 2-8) in game one of their conference doubleheader today. But, the Utes rebounded back into the win column with a 5-2 win of their own in the nightcap of the twinbill.

The first three batters for the Utes proved to be the most potent, banging out nine of the team's 19 hits on the day. Jessica Shiery, Jackie Wong and Diana Phillips all led Utah batters today with three hits apiece. Shiery led all Utes in hitting 3-for-6 (.500). She also had a double, two runs scored and an RBI.

Meghan Dyer took the loss in game one while Cannon guided the team to the win in the second game. Dyer (11-5) struck out five and walked only one Lobo batter. But, she scattered six UNM hits and allowed five earned runs. Cannon (12-5) struck out two, walked one and allowed six Lobo hits. But, she limited them to only a pair of earned runs.

Next, the Utes return home, where they're undefeated (7-0), to host Brigham Young on Saturday, April 22. Action next weekend concludes when they play a single, non-conference game with San Jose State on Sunday, April 23, at noon.

New Mexico 5, Utah 2
Utah had its chances to snag the game-one victory from the home team. But, the Utes left 10 runners on base in the losing cause. Most notably, down 4-1, Utah had the bases loaded with two outs in the second, and failed to score.

The only lead Utah would have in the game was a 1-0 cushion after its first at bat. With runners on the corners, Sharee Fonoti hit a single that scored Phillips from third.

However, the Lobos would respond with four runs of their own in the bottom of the first. Most of the damage came from the bat of Kristina Schmallen who hit a three-run homer off of Dyer.

Utah cut the lead in half in the fourth when Shierly singled through the left side to score Meghan Crouse. But, UNM responded in the bottom half of the frame to extend its lead back to three runs.

Wong was the lone Ute to bag multiple hits in the game. She was 2-for-3 with a double. Five other Utes tallied single hits as Utah smacked seven hits around the park. New Mexico only had six.

Jen Mednedhall pitched the Lobos to the win.

Utah 5, New Mexico 2
A four-run first inning was all Utah needed as it exacted revenge with a similar 5-2 win over the Lobos in game two of the conference doubleheader.

The visitors jumped all over New Mexico's three errors, scoring four of their five runs thanks to the Lobos' miscues in the field.

The Utes led the game off with three straight singles, loading the bases for Devina Quintero. While she reached on a fielder's choice, the Utes were able to plate two runs on an error as Phillips and Wong both scored to make it 2-0 for the visitors.

Fonoti and Crouse rounded out the scoring for Utah in the first. An inning-extending error on Fonoti's at bat plated Shiery while Crouse's single to third scored Quintero to give Utah the 4-0 lead.

The Utes made it 5-0 in the fourth inning on another Lobo fielding error. Ivette Hernandez reached on an error with runners on first and third. The slip-up on UNM's shortstop allowed Shiery to score.

UNM responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. With Lobo runners on second and third, Liz Young singled down the right-field line to plate both of UNM's runs.

Phillips and Shiery both went 2-for-4 in game two. Phillips also scored a run while Shiery scored two.

Hurler Katie Gregg (11-6) took the loss for UNM in the nightcap.