Nielson Throws First Career No-Hitter vs. Idaho State

Friday, April 1

Salt Lake City

4:00 PM

University of Utah

Idaho State

Nielson Throws First Career No-Hitter vs. Idaho State

4/1/2011 12:00 AM | Softball

April 1, 2011

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - Generra Nielson tossed her first career no-hitter and Kelsi Hoopiiaina launched her second grand slam this season to lead the University of Utah softball team to an 8-0 run-rule victory in five innings over Idaho State Friday at Ute Softball Field.

After being held scoreless the first two innings, Utah (17-16) scored eight runs in its final three at-bats and held an 8-0 edge in hits over Idaho State (6-19).

"This was a great team effort on all ends," Utah head coach Amy Hogue said. "When we score eight runs, don't have an error and our pitcher throws a no-hitter, there won't be any complaints from me. We were disciplined at the plate so we came up with key hits, but more importantly, we kept going after scoring four runs in the third [inning]. When we waited and only swung at strikes, we can have this kind of offense."

Nielson's first career no-hitter highlighted a 5.0-inning performance where she did not allow an earned run while striking out seven Bengal hitters. With her seventh complete-game effort this season, Nielson improved her record to 12-10. This was also her second complete-game shutout of the year. It was the 24th no-hitter in Utah's school history and the first since March 18, 2009.

"Generra wasn't even that sharp at the start of the game," Hogue said. "She allowed four walks, which is a lot for her, but she kept fighting. She is hard to hit because her ball spun a lot and the ball was out of the zone a little bit. She just keeps getting better as the game goes along."

In the third inning with the scored tied at zero, the Utes loaded the bases and Hoopiiaina cracked her second grand slam this season and her third of this season to give Utah a 4-0 lead. The Riverton, Utah native now has 18 RBI this season and seven home runs over her career.

Tara Glover came through in the following inning with a one-out triple in the fourth inning to drive in Utah's fifth run of the contest. The Utes immediately gained a sixth insurance run when Fankhauser slapped an RBI single up the middle of the Bengal defense to score Glover. Fankhauser has driven in 17 runs this season and drove her batting average up to .308 for the season.

Utah put the run rule into effect in the fifth inning with runners on first and second base before Jackie Sweet knocked a one-out single up the middle of the ISU defensive alignment that allowed Hoopiiaina to plate the Utes' seventh run.

Sweet was one of two Utes to register a multi-hit performance as she went 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored. The Corona, Calif., native now has six RBI this season.

Joni Cook then stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter and nailed the first pitch she saw to right field for a single that allowed pinch runner Kayla Ensminger to score Utah's eight run of the ballgame.

The Utes will play two games tomorrow in the Utah Valley Invitational (held at Ute Softball Field due to construction at Utah Valley's Wolverine Field) against Northern Colorado (2 p.m.) and Utah Valley (4 p.m.).