Utah Softball Picks Up Two More Wins

Sunday, February 19

Las Vegas, Nev.

9:00 AM

University of Utah

UC Riverside

2/19/2012 12:00 AM | Softball

Feb. 19, 2012

Box Score

LAS VEGAS - Senior third baseman Whitney Holm went 7-for-7 at the plate on the day with eight RBI to lead the University of Utah softball team to a pair of victories Sunday over UC Riverside (9-1 in six innings) and Cal State Northridge (12-2 in six innings) during the final day of the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic at Eller Media Stadium on the campus of UNLV.

Utah (6-3) outscored its opponents 21-3 and outhit their foes by a 25-10 margin. The Utes hit .407 on the day and held their opponents on a .227 batting average and have now won five of their last six games.

Holm hit a home run, a double and five singles and also scored five runs with eight RBI in the two games. The Spanish Fork, Utah native now has 19 RBI this season and has driven in 108 runs over her career. Holm moved into sole possession of fourth place in Utah school history with 34 career round-trippers.

Freshman outfielder Kate Dickman had four hits in eight at-bats on the day with three RBI, while junior second baseman and shortstop Kelsi Hoopiiaina both had three hits apiece.

Utah def. UC Riverside, 9-1 (6 inn.)
UC Riverside Box Score

In her seventh start of the season, Utah senior Generra Nielson went 4.0 innings and allowed one earned run on only two hits to go with nine strikeouts. Nielson improved to 5-2 this season

Holm turned in a 4-for-4 effort with four RBI and three runs driven in, while Hoopiiaina also had two hits and an RBI.

After being held scoreless in the first inning, the Utes scored in three straight frames and got on the board first in the second inning against the Highlanders when Marissa Mendenhall reached after an error by the UCR shortstop then took second after a wild pitch. Shay Wallace then hit a fly ball to center field that was dropped by the Riverside center fielder that allowed Mendenhall to score from second. Utah tacked on another run after an RBI ground out to the shortstop by junior Sandi Bowles for her first RBI of the season and the ninth of her career.

Dickman led off the third inning with a single up the middle before Holm connected for her sixth home run of the season and the 34th of her career.

Utah tacked on a fifth run in the bottom of the fourth when Bowles hit a one-out single to the shortstop and then stole second base and advanced to third after a ground ball hit by Hoopiiaina.

Holm led off the fifth frame with a single up the middle on a 3-0 pitch. She advanced to second on a ground ball and then took third on a passed ball then was driven across home plate on a sacrifice fly by freshman Desaray Akins. It was Akins' first career RBI.

The Utes put the run rule into effect with three runs in the bottom of the sixth frame. Hoopiiaina hit a one-out double to center field and took third base after a single by sophomore Chalese Fankhauser. Holm came to the plate with two outs and knocked a two-run single up the middle of the Highlanders' defense to put Utah up 8-1. Junior Katelyn Elliott followed by reaching on a throwing error by the UCR shortstop that allowed Holm to score Utah's ninth run of the game.

Utah def. Cal State Northridge, 12-2 (6 inn.) Cal State Northridge Box Score

Holm, Dickman and Sweet each had three hits apiece, while Holm drove in four runs and Dickman had three RBI. Sweet posted her first multi-RBI effort of the season with a pair of RBI.

In her second start of the season, sophomore Naomi Amu allowed one earned run on three hits in 4.0 innings to go along with two strikeouts. The Oceanside, Calif., native is now 1-1 this season and 9-10 over her career.

After the Matadors scored the first two runs of the contest in the bottom of the first inning, the Utes stormed back with 12 unanswered runs.

Holm led off the second inning with a walk then Dickman connected on an RBI double for Utah's first score. Sweet then lined a double for two RBI to give Utah the lead for good at 3-2.

With one out in the third frame, Bowles singled and Holm turned in a one-out RBI double to left-center field. Dickman followed with an RBI single before Hannah Clements capped the frame with another RBI base hit.

Back-to-back singles by Sweet and Hoopiiaina started the fourth inning and then Holm cracked another one-out single for two more runs.

Utah's four-run sixth began with Utah's first triple of the season by freshman Marissa Mendenhall and Holm's eighth RBI of the day came after a single to center field. Dickman hit another double to right-center field to dive in pinch runner Taylor Austin. With the bases loaded, freshman catcher Desaray Akins was credited with her first career RBI after drawing a walk. Ramirez kept the rally going with her first career RBI with a pinch hit single to left field to give Utah a 10-run cushion at 12-2.

Utah went 4-1 at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic then travels to the UNC Greensboro Spartan Classic.