LAS CRUCES, NM -?? The Utah Valley State softball team ended the three-day Troy Cox Invitational by losing to Miami ( Ohio) 6-4 and New Mexico State 9-0. The losses dropped Utah Valley State-??s record to 4-3.

Utah Valley led Miami 4-0 after the top of the second inning after one run in the first and three in the second.

In the first inning Cari Hamilton reached base on a one-out single. Hamilton then advanced to second on a passed ball and reached third when Rachel Hartgrove flew out to center field. With two outs, Heidi Boyer drilled a triple to right field that allowed Hamilton to score.

In the second inning Kaylie Neal led off with a walk and Natalie Paulsen followed with a single to left field. Sara Roskelley then reached on a fielder choice to put runners at first and second with one out. Two batters later Hamilton was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Hartgrove then stepped to the plate and hit a bases-clearing triple to right field to up the Wolverine lead to 4-0.

In the bottom half of the inning Miami scored three runs to cut the UV lead to 4-3. The Wolverines then surrendered two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to Miami ( Ohio).

The Wolverines had seven hits in the game. Chris Jimenez led the Wolverine offensive attack with two hits.

Jackie Roberts pitched four and 2/3 innings before being relieved.

-??She had another nice outing,-?? Utah Valley State coach Todd Fairbourne said.
Against New Mexico State, Utah Valley State had three hits and surrendered three runs in the first and five in the second inning.

Utah Valley ended the invitational hosted by New Mexico State with a 2-3 record. Hartgrove had six hits, one homerun, four RBI and hit .429 in five games. Jimenez hit .353, had six hits, one homerun and four RBI. Boyer hit .308 with four hits while Hamilton hit .300. Hartgrove was the only Wolverine to make the All-Tournament team.

On the mound Roberts pitched the Wolverines to the two wins. She had 20 strikeouts and a 1.42 era.

-??Offensively we have to learn to hit the next notch of pitchers,-?? Fairbourne said. -??We haven-??t shown that yet. We got the games we should have won. Miami ( Ohio) was the one we hoped to steal. Boyer grew up as a pitcher today. She came back in the last inning of New Mexico State and held them in check.-??

Troy Cox Invitational All-Tournament team