April 10, 2009
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
GREELEY, Colo. - Utah Valley University's softball team split a doubleheader at Northern Colorado Friday night thanks to big and timely hits. The Wolverines (15-20) won game one 8-7 but the Bears (14-22) then evened the twin bill as they held on to win 7-6.
Senior Kylee Steadman had the biggest onset offensively as she went a combined 5-for-8 from the plate. Steadman came through when the Wolverines needed her including hitting the go ahead two-run home run in the sixth inning of the first game to put her team on top.
"We obviously swung the bats fairly well tonight," UVU head softball coach Todd Fairbourne said. "Martin threw both games for us and at times struggled with the command of her pitches. In the second game we had a chance to complete the comeback but just couldn't do it. We need to come out tomorrow and compete and hopefully win the series."
In game number one on the day Utah Valley took an early 2-0 advantage as they scored two runs in the top of the first inning. UVU started the frame with three consecutive singles as Meghan Woodworth, Lauren Augino, and Magan Niemann all had hits consecutively. Amber Sackett followed with an RBI groundout and Steadman drove in the second run in the inning with an RBI single.
The Wolverines kept scoring runs as they brought home three more in the third inning. Sackett led the rally with a single. Steadman followed as she tripled her home with a shot off the fence. Cherylyn McGraw brought home Steadman with a hard-driven double off the top of the fence and Amanda Perez drove-in the fifth run of the game with an RBI single.
In the bottom of the third UNC scored four runs to tie the game at five apiece. Then UVU senior outfielder Lauren Augino got a hold of one in the fourth hitting a deep fly ball down the leftfield line for her first home run on the season, a solo shot putting the Wolverine back on top by a run. The Bears then took the lead in the bottom of the fifth as they scored two runs to lead 7-6.
That is when Steadman hit the big blow as she belted her fourth homer of the season, which put her team ahead for good. Freshman Jessica Martin, who pitched both games for the Wolverines, retired the heart of the Bears order in order in the sixth inning and despite allowing the tying run to reach base in the seventh as she committed an error she battled back and got out of the jam to pick up the win.
In the second game UVU scored three runs to go up 3-1. In the frame Woodworth Augino, and Niemann all singled and Woodworth and Augino scored on a couple of wild pitches by the Bears starter. Steadman came through again with an RBI double to center that drove home Niemann. UNC came back and went on top for good as they scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 7-3 lead.
Utah Valley then rallied and started its comeback as the Wolverines brought home two more runs in the fifth. As Woodworth and Augino both walked and scored in the inning from RBIs from Martin and Steadman.
With the Bears still leading 7-5 UVU threatened again in the sixth inning and managed to cut the deficit to one run. Perez doubled to get into scoring position and Kami Poll, who came into pinch run for her, scored on an RBI fielder's choice by Woodworth. The Wolverines had their four, five and six hitters up in the seventh but were retired in order by UNC's Kelli Henderson as she preserved the win for the Bears.
Martin who pitched all 14 innings on the evening for UVU picked up the win in game number won but suffered the loss in the nightcap, to go to 9-11 on the year.
Up next for UVU they will play a doubleheader in Logan against Utah State Tuesday, April 14 beginning at 2 p.m.
