April 21, 2009
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
PHOTO GALLERY
OREM, Utah - Utah Valley University's softball team came back from a 4-3 deficit in game number two of a doubleheader with the University of Utah on senior day at MSTAR Field as the Wolverines (16-23) split with the Utes (18-26) on the day (2-4, 6-4). The Utah Valley win in game number two, marked only the second time in Division-I history that the Wolverines have ever beaten the Utes.
With Utah taking a 4-3 lead in the top of the fifth, Utah Valley came right back scoring two in the bottom of the frame to take a 5-4 lead. Sophomore Samantha Telarroja walked and was driven home by a RBI single from senior Magan Niemann to tie the game at four. With the bases loaded later in the inning senior Kylee Steadman popped up to the shortstop where the umpires called the infield fly rule but Utah's shortstop, Sharee Fonoti dropped the ball causing fellow senior Lauren Augino to score from third as UVU took the 5-4 advantage.
UVU freshman Amanda Perez then added a solo home run, her fourth of the year, to give her team an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning of game two. The home run put the Wolverines on top for good 6-4 in the last of the sixth. It is Perez's mother, Alice Perez, which is currently fighting the battle with breast cancer, as UVU's softball team celebrated the "Swing for Life" fund on Tuesday giving all money earned from the day's events to the Perez family. Unofficially numbers point that UVU's softball earned around $5000 for the Perez family.
"Utah is a tough team, but I felt like we played well enough where we should have swept the doubleheader today," UVU head softball coach Todd Fairbourne said. "Overall I am happy for our girls today; especially with the effort they showed on senior day. We got ourselves in a couple binds today but we really showed some fight to come out of them. Martin did a nice job for us today as did Megan Kisner coming off of the bench and having an immediate impact in this second game. Sackett came up with some big hits as did the senior Niemann. Overall this was a team victory today and I am proud of our girls."
In the second game of the afternoon, UVU broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the second inning as they managed to score three runs off of the Utes starter, Joni Cook. Junior Amber Sackett started the inning with a leadoff double. Senior Kylee Steadman followed with a single into center field which the Utes' center fielder Kara Foster made a bad throw into home allowing Sackett to come in. Junior Cherylyn McGraw then smacked a double to left center that scored Steadman. The third run came home in the inning on a well executed suicide squeeze play as McGraw took off from third while the freshman Amanda Perez dropped down the bunt scoring McGraw.
The Utes quickly struck back with two runs in the top of the third inning. Kara Foster hit a solo homer in the frame and Whitney Holm drove home the second run on a single to center.
Utah then scored another run in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at three. The Utes then loaded the bases threatening to take the lead. UVU went to the bullpen bringing in the game one starter freshman Jessica Martin, and she was able to get a huge defensive double play out of UVU's first baseman McGraw, as she caught a scorcher and stepped on her bag, keeping the game tied at three.
The Utes then managed to take the lead with two outs in the top of the fifth inning as they scored an unearned run to lead 4-3. That is when UVU scored three unanswered runs to win to hold on and win the game 6-4.
Martin on in relief of Sackett picked up the win (10-12) and did a nice job as she didn't allow any earned runs in 3.2 innings of work.
Kisner off the bench replacing the injured Woodworth went 1-for-2 with a walk and had a couple nice defensive plays in the outfield. The senior Augino had a two hit game as Perez led the way in the runs batted in category with two in the second game.
In the first game of the afternoon, the University of Utah manufactured an early run, to take a 1-0 lead, as and Angie Boardman drove home Brook Olson with a sacrifice fly to center field. The Utes tacked on another solo run in the top of the third inning as the Wolverines' starting pitcher Jessica Martin allowed a one out walk to Kara Foster and it ended up costing Martin as Foster scored on a RBI single from Angie Boardman.
Utah Valley answered in the bottom of the third as sophomore Meghan Woodworth doubled to right center to start the frame. After Utah's starter Ashley Smuda retired the next two Wolverine hitters, Sackett got a hold of a pitch up in the strikezone as she slugged a two run home run to left center field to tie the game at 2-2. UVU threatened later in the frame with two more runners on but Smuda struck out junior Jessica Anderson on a full count pitch to end the rally.
Both pitchers were able to settle down and pitch themselves out of some small jams as both starters held the opposing teams scoreless until the sixth inning. In the bottom of the fifth Utah Valley was unable to capitalize as Niemann hit a leadoff double to begin the inning. Sackett followed by laying down a sacrifice bunt to advance Niemann to third with only one out. Niemann then tried to score on a groundball hit to the Utes first baseman off of the bat of Steadman but Niemann was thrown out at the plate, keeping the score tied at two.
Utah then answered with a solo homer from Jasey Jensen in the top of the sixth to straight away left field to take a 3-2 lead. The Utes added an insurance run to go up 4-2 in the inning as pinch hitter Tori Medina tripled down the right field line and was driven home on a RBI groundout by Sharee Fonoti.
Brittany Parker came on trying to pick up the save for the Utes in the last of the seventh. She retired Woodworth and Augino for two quick outs. Parker then handed out two free passes as she walked Niemann and Sackett to bring the winning run the plate for the Wolverines. With senior Kylee Steadman coming up Utah decided to reenter its starting pitcher, as Smuda came back in to face Steadman. Steadman hacked at the first pitch and flew out to center field to end the game as Utah held on winning 4-2.
Smuda picked up the win for Utah improving to 12-8 on the season while Martin suffered the loss.
Niemann was the only Wolverine in the first game with multiple hits as she finished 2-for-3.
The Wolverines have finished their home season and will wrap up their 2009 this week as they play doubleheaders at BYU Thursday beginning at 5 p.m., at Idaho State Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. and at Utah Sunday beginning at 12 p.m.
