Softball Wins Second and Third Straight

Friday, February 23

El Paso, Texas

10:00 AM

University of Utah

Wisconsin (UTEP Invitational)

2/23/2007 12:00 AM | Softball

Feb. 23, 2007

Wisconsin vs. Utah Box Score
Utah vs. UTEP Box Score

EL PASO, Texas - Offense was not at a premium as the University of Utah softball team (6-5-1 overall) outscored its rivals, 13-2, in bagging a pair of wins on the first day of the UTEP Invitational this afternoon. The day began with a 7-1 trouncing of Wisconsin and ended with a 6-1 drubbing of host UTEP.

Wisconsin stumbled to 3-3 on the year while UTEP is now 7-4.

"We built up a lot of confidence from our win over Seton Hall last weekend and we are also starting to make great adjustments at the plate," said head coach Angie Jacobs. "This team continues to gain the confidence it should have at the plate. On top of that, both Karina Cannon and Meghan Dyer had great pitching efforts for us today.

"It looks like we're starting to put complete games together and we're starting to play with a lot more confidence. We look forward to getting back to it against Northern Colorado and Buffalo tomorrow afternoon."

Utah tapped opponent pitchers for 21 hits today. They collected 12 against the Badgers and nine versus UTEP. But, of the 21 hits, 11 of them were for extra bases and five of which were home runs.

Leading today's offensive outpouring was Diana Phillips. She was 6-for-8 on the day, including an impressive 4-for-4 effort against UTEP. Foster was 5-for-8 and led all Utes with five RBI. Staci Hemingway was 4-for-7 while Kelly Matthews finished 3-for-6.

Phillips nearly hit for the cycle against UTEP. She had a single, double and two triples. She fell short in the home run department.

Checking the homer meter, Foster belted two while Phillips, Hemingway and Hailey Davenport all hammered out one apiece.

Both pitchers, Karina Cannon and Meghan Dyer, chalked up wins in the circle today. Cannon got the nod against Wisconsin and improves to 2-2 while Dyer got the start against UTEP and ups her mark to 4-3.

Utah returns to the field tomorrow to face Northern Colorado and Buffalo. First pitch is set for 12:30 p.m. (MST).

Utah 7, Wisconsin 1
It may not be snowing in El Paso, Texas, but the snowball effect was in full force as the University of Utah softball team (5-5-1 overall) topped Wisconsin today in the first game the UTEP Invitational this afternoon.

Wisconsin held Utah scoreless in the first frame but Utah surged to score one, two and four runs in each of the next three innings. The Utes racked up their seven runs thanks in part to three home runs.

Utah smacked the ball around the park 12 times while Wisconsin only tallied six hits.

Foster and Matthews led the offensive effort in the first game. They went 3-for-4 and 3-for-3, respectively. Foster had two RBI and a run scored while Matthews a run scored. Phillips was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored.

Cannon gets the win. She went seven innings, surrendering six hits. Cannon fanned five Badgers, not allowing a single walk.

Foster, Hemingway and Phillips all homered in the winning effort. Foster hit a leadoff solo homer in the second inning to give Utah the 1-0 lead. Hemingway hit a two-run shot in the third inning, scoring Davenport who hit a leadoff double. And, Phillips hit a three-run long ball that scored Andrea Hoffman and Matthews. They walked and singled to lead off the inning, respectively.

An RBI double in the third for Wisconsin tied it at 1-1 but that was all the Badgers had in the tank. Wisconsin's score was an unearned run.

Katie Hnatyk was the lone Badger with two hits on the day. She was 2-for-3 with a double. Eden Brock tossed two innings for Wisconsin and takes the loss.

Utah 6, UTEP 1
The Utes belted nine hits in the 6-1 win over UTEP here in the second game of the UTEP Invitational. More impressive, though, was that seven of those hits were for extra bases.

The Utes hammered out three doubles, two triples and two homers in racking up the victory. Leading the Utes at the plate in game two was standout center fielder Phillips. She went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate and had a double and two triples. She also posted one RBI and two runs in the stat column.

Dyer got the win in the circle and had a strong outing. She went the distance and struck out 13 of the 27 batters faced. She didn't walk a single Miner and allowed only four hits.

Other offensive numbers of note came from Foster and Hemingway. Foster was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a homer. Hemingway went 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored.

Foster got it all started for the Utes in the first inning. Phillips hit a leadoff double and later scored on Foster's RBI single.

Another run came in the fifth when Phillips hit an RBI triple, scoring Jaqueline Decker. She pinch ran for Andrea Hoffman who led the inning off with a walk.

Two runs came in each the sixth and seventh innings. Foster hit a two-run homer to score Hemingway in the sixth while Meghan Crouse's sac fly and Hailey Davenport's solo home run plated two runs in the seventh.

UTEP's only run came in the fourth inning. An RBI single by Karen Sjorstrom tied it briefly at 1-1.

Four different Miners tallied a hit in the loss while pitcher Kelly Curran is saddled with the loss.