Utah Softball Splits Against Arkansas and Long Beach State

Sunday, February 20

Las Vegas, Nev.

11:15 AM

University of Utah

Long Beach State

Utah Softball Splits Against Arkansas and Long Beach State

2/20/2011 12:00 AM | Softball

Feb. 20, 2011

LAS VEGAS - Freshman center fielder Tara Glover went 3-for-6 on the day and hit the game-winning two-run double with two out against Long Beach State to lead the University of Utah softball team to a 3-2 win over the 49ers Sunday in the final day of the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic at Eller Media Stadium. Earlier in the day, the Utes lost to Arkansas in eight innings, 8-4.

Utah (5-6) was led on offense by Glover, who had a pair of double as well as three RBI. Whitney Holm turned in two hits, including a double, while Cheyella Myers hit a sacrifice fly for an RBI.

Junior Generra Nielson pitched all 15 innings and allowed nine earned runs on 14 hits with 11 strikeouts and only two walks. With the win over Long Beach State and a hard-luck loss to Arkansas, Nielson's record is now 4-5 this season.

Arkansas def. Utah, 8-4 Box Score

In the day's opener against the Razorbacks, Nielson didn't allow a hit or a base runner through four innings during an impressive eight-inning, seven earned run, eight-hit performance. She struck out seven hitters and only walked two.

Offensively, seven different Utes registered hits off Razorback pitching while Myers was credited with an RBI.

The Utes got a leadoff single from Tia Palauni to start the second inning then Brooke Olson dropped down a sacrifice bunt to push pinch runner Kayla Ensminger to second base. After Arkansas was able to get an out off a fielder's choice, Holm came through with a single through the left side. But the Razorbacks were able to keep the Utes off the scoreboard.

In Utah's following at-bat, Kelsi Hoopiiaina hit an 0-1 pitch through the right side to start the frame and Glover laid down a sacrifice bunt to put Hoopiiaina in scoring position. `Hoop' then advanced to third after Hannah Clements rolled a ground ball to second base, but the Utes were unable to push a run across in the frame.

Arkansas got on the scoreboard first with four runs, including a two-run double to left center field by the Razorbacks' Courtney Breault. Utah cut into its deficit in the bottom half of the inning with a two-out rally. Sandi Bowles and Olson both hit singles then Sweet drew a walk to load the bases. A wild pitch by Arkansas allowed Bowles to plate Utah's first run of the contest.

After preventing Arkansas to score in the top of the seventh, Utah continued to rally in the bottom half of the seventh as Glover hit a one-out single to left field and Clements drew a walk that set up a key situation for Myers, who responded with a clutch double to left field to drive in Glover. Clements scored on an errant pickup by the Arkansas third baseman on the relay throw and Myers slid into home plate after a Razorback wild pitch to tie the game at four runs apiece.

Unfortunately, the Utes could not keep their momentum going as Arkansas tacked on four more runs in the top of the eighth inning and Utah went down in order in its half. Utah is now 1-2 in extra innings this season.

Utah def. Long Beach State, 3-2 Box Score

A two-run rally with two out in the seventh inning keyed by a two-run double by Glover gave the Utes a 3-2 win over Long Beach State in the final game of the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic.

Glover was 2-for-3 in the box and drove in all three of Utah's runs, while Holm, Chalese Fankhauser and Joni Cook came up with hits for the Utes as well.

Nielson's second complete game of the day saw her allow two earned runs on only four hits to go with four strikeouts.

Long Beach State struck first in the second inning with a two-run home run by Dana Garcia. The Utes plated their first run of the contest in the fifth inning when Hoopiiaina was hit by a pitch with two out and Glover followed with an RBI double to right field.

The game was scoreless until the top of the seventh inning when Sweet drew a leadoff walk. Then with two out, Cook entered the game as a pinch hitter and lined a two-out single to left field. Glover then stepped in the box and cranked a double to center field to allow both Sweet and Hoopiiaina (who re-entered the game to run for Cook) score the game-winning runs for the Utes.

The Utes travel to the Cathedral City Classic in Palm Springs, Calif., next weekend where they will face Long Beach State (Thursday at 1 p.m. PT), Virginia (Thursday at 3:30 p.m. PT), Syracuse (Friday at 5:30 p.m. PT), No. 5/5 Florida (Saturday at 10:30 a.m. PT), Nevada (Sunday at 11 a.m. PT) and UC Santa Barbara (Sunday at 1 p.m. PT).