April 7, 2007
Box Score
Orem, UT- For the second straight day solid pitching and hitting propelled the Utah Valley softball team to a four-game sweep over Northern Colorado, winning 9-1 in six innings in game 1 and 6-0 in game 2. Utah Valley upped its record to 14-21 on the season while Northern Colorado dropped to 5-35.
"I was happy with what we did," Utah Valley coach Todd Fairbourne said. "I told the team that if we could put five runs on the board we would have a chance to win every game. We made the plays when we needed to. While there is room for improvement we did what we should have done."
Corie Jensen and Jackie Roberts earned the wins. In game 1, Jensen went the distance, allowing three hits and striking out five in a 9-1 six inning win. Roberts also tossed a complete game, striking out 10 and giving up only three hits.
"Our pitching was very good," Fairbourne said. "Jackie and Corie did a great job out there. We were in charge for the most part no later than the second inning of every game."
As a team Utah Valley had 20 hits in the two games. Natalie Paulsen led the attack by going 3-for-4 with two homeruns and three RBI. Cheryl McGraw had four hits and three RBI. Heidi Boyer had three hits while Jensen, Jordan Chaney, Jamie Tonis and Cari Hamilton each had two hits.
In game 1, the Wolverines jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning after McGraw knocked her fourth homerun of the season. The bomb drove in Hamilton, who reached base via a walk.
In the third inning, McGraw hit a one out single to left field and was moved to second on a double by Boyer. Jensen then gave UV a 4-0 lead on a double to right-center.
After Northern Colorado scored its run in the top of the sixth, UV countered with a Paulsen homerun to extend the score to 5-1. With one out, Chaney, Jasmine Joyce and Hamilton reached on infield singles to load the bases. McGraw then got on base via an error, allowing Joyce and Chaney to score. The game ended when Boyer hit a double down the left field line
In game 2, the Wolverines took a 2-0 in the first inning. Joyce led the inning off with a walk. McGraw then moved Joyce to third on a single to centerfield. Joyce scored the first run on a UNC wild pitch. Tonis then drove in McGraw on a single to right field.
In the third inning, Boyer hit her third homerun of the season on a solo shot over the right field fence to up the Utah Valley lead to 3-0. After a two-out single by Tonis, Paulsen followed with her second homerun of the day to up the lead to 5-0. Joyce hit a homer in the sixth to up the score to 6-0.
Utah Valley returns to the field on Tuesday for a 4 p.m. game at BYU. On Wednesday, SUU comes to Orem for a doubleheader that starts at 2 p.m.
