April 23, 2009

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

PROVO, Utah - Utah Valley University's softball team led in the second game of a doubleheader at BYU Thursday evening on two separate occasions but the Cougars (34-14) were too much in the end for the Wolverines (16-25) as they won the twin bill by scores of 12-1 (5 inn.) and 12-4 (6 inn.).

"BYU was just too much for us tonight," UVU head softball coach Todd Fairbourne said. "Jessica Martin was huge for us and really gave us a chance to win the second game. Other than that two or three people showed up and two or three of our starters were no shows out there. We can't continue to make little mistakes here and there against a quality opponent like we played this evening."

BYU got off to a quick start in game number one of the evening, as the Cougars' clean-up hitter, Jessica Purcell, hit a three-run homerun in the bottom of the first inning to give them a 3-0 lead after one inning of play.

In the top of the second UVU loaded the bases with only one out in the frame. BYU's starting hurler, Christie Zinanti then struck out the next two batters, but the pitch before she fanned Samantha Telarroja for the final out of the inning, Kylee Steadman for the Wolverines managed to come home from third on a passed ball, cutting the deficit to 3-1.

Utah Valley's starting pitcher Amber Sackett allowed a lead-off walk and then picked up an error on a throw that got past her first baseman Cherylyn McGraw to start the bottom of the second. Sackett then battled to get out of what could have been a much bigger inning by only allowing one Cougar run to come in, as BYU took a 4-1 lead.

BYU broke the game open in the bottom of the third scoring six more runs off of Sackett. With the wind blowing heavily out to right field the Cougars hit two more home runs in the frame, Krista Hicks belted a three-run homer while Angeline Quicho hit a two-run one, to give the Cougars a 10-1 advantage. Brigham Young chased Sackett from the game in the bottom of the fourth as scored two more runs to go up 12-1. Amanda Perez came on in relief with two on and no outs and was able to retire BYU's next three batters to get out of the inning with no more runs coming home.

With the big lead, Zinanti settled down for the Cougars retiring the Wolverines in order in the fourth. Zinanti got two quick outs in the fifth inning. UVU then threatened as Megan Kisner and Lauren Augino drew back-to-back walks with two outs. Zinanti then came back to strike out pinch hitter Jessica Martin to end the five inning game.

In the second game of the twin bill, Meghan Woodworth led off the game with a solid single through the left side of the infield. Augino then advanced Woodworth into scoring position as she laid down a nice sacrifice bunt. BYU's starter Paige Affleck came back with a big strike out of Niemann as she caught the senior looking. Sackett, with two outs, then smacked a double to the wall that brought home the first run of the game as Woodworth scored. UVU lead early in the game taking the 1-0 advantage.

Utah Valley freshman Jessica Martin started the second game in the circle and held BYU scoreless in the bottom of the first. The Cougars had two runners on base and were threatening in the frame when Martin got the big bat of Jessica Purcell to hit into the inning ending double play.

The Cougars got their first runs of the game in the bottom of the second as Stephanie Hopkins hit a two-run homer to left center to put BYU on top by a run.

UVU then took advantage of a number of BYU miscues in the top of the third inning as they scored two runs in the frame to regain the lead, 3-2. Woodworth walked, stole second and came home on an error on the Cougars catcher. Augino was then driven home on an RBI single into center by Sackett for the second run in the inning.

Brigham Young came right back answering with three runs in the bottom of the third as three different Cougars drove home the runs, to take a 5-3 advantage. BYU tacked on a lone run in the last of the fourth to go up 6-3.

The scoring continued in the top of the fifth, as the Wolverines scored a run to cut the deficit to 6-4. Augino and Sackett each hit doubles in the frame but the Cougars defense threw out both of them at the plate. Niemann was the runner to score in the inning as she walked, advanced to third on the Sackett double to right, and scored on a fielder's choice by Kylee Steadman.

The Cougars went up 7-4 in the bottom of the fifth as pinch hitter Amanda Vance hit a two out RBI single into center field but Augino made a fine defensive play in center to throw out the second runner trying to score to end the inning.

UVU threatened in the top of the sixth with two runners on base but Zinanti came on in relief for BYU to pitch out of the jam. Brigham Young finally found Martin's number scoring five runs in the last of the sixth off of seven hits, to complete the doubleheader sweep winning by the eight-run rule for the second time on the evening by a score of 12-4.

BYU has now won 15 games in a row and are currently ranked No. 24 in the country.

Amber Sackett led the way offensively in the game going 3-for-3 from the plate with two doubles and two runs batted in.

UVU will conclude its 2009 season this weekend on the road with two more doubleheaders. Saturday they will play two at Idaho State beginning at 1 p.m. and will they will wrap up the season with a twin bill at the University of Utah Sunday starting at noon.