April 25, 2009

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

POCATELLO, Idaho - Utah Valley University's softball team committed a costly error with the bases loaded in the last of the seventh inning in game two of the doubleheader at Idaho State on Saturday to lose both games (7-4 and 9-8). With the losses the Wolverines fall to 17-27 while the Bengals conclude their season with a 20-21 record.

"We simply just didn't play well enough to win," UVU head softball coach Todd Fairbourne said. "We struggled with our mental toughness all season long and today it killed us. We need to come out tomorrow and be stronger if we want to win on our final day of the season."

After losing the first game of the twin bill on a controversial call by the umpires, UVU took an early lead in game number two of the afternoon. Junior Cherylyn McGraw who batted in the leadoff spot on the day (replacing the injured Meghan Woodworth) led off the game with a single. After seniors Lauren Augino and Magan Niemann reached base to load the bases, the former ISU Bengal, junior Amber Sackett knocked them all in, to give UVU the 3-0 lead, on a double to left center field.

The Wolverines added two more runs to take a 5-0 advantage after the top of the second. Sophomore Samantha Telarroja and McGraw singled to start the frame. Augino then bunted them both into scoring position. Niemann then came through with the two-RBI single as Telarroja and McGraw both scored to put Utah Valley up by five runs. The lead wouldn't be enough as the Bengals began to fight back.

ISU scored two runs in the bottom of the third off of the Wolverine starter, freshman Jessica Martin who pitched all but a third of an inning on the day for UVU, to cut the lead to 5-2.

Utah Valley then went up 6-2 in the top of the fourth as they scored an unearned run as Augino reached base on an error and was batted in by an RBI single from senior Kylee Steadman. ISU then cut the deficit in half with a solo run in the last of fourth of its own putting the score to 6-3.

The Bengals then tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning as Kaylie Neal-Jones hit a three-run home run to left field. UVU came right back to regain the lead in the top of the sixth scoring two runs to go up 8-6 on a 2 RBI double from junior Jessica Anderson.

ISU tied the game at eight again in the last of the sixth scoring two more runs off of Martin. UVU was held scoreless in the top of the seventh giving Idaho State an opportunity to win the game with a run in the bottom of the inning.

The Bengals quickly loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh with only one out. With the game on the line Brittany Oslin hit a ball right to Magan Niemann at second base which went through her legs for an error as Idaho State won via the walk-off error, 9-8.

In the first game of the afternoon, the Wolverines committed two first inning errors to allow the Bengals to score four first inning runs as ISU lead after one 4-0.

Both pitchers, Jessica Martin for UVU and Kandis Clesson put up zeros for the next couple of innings as the score remained 4-0 until the fourth.

In the top of the fourth Utah Valley scored two runs as Sackett and Steadman had RBI hits in the frame to cut the deficit in half at 4-2. Idaho State added to its lead in the last of the fifth as Krista Armstrong hit a two-run homer to put her team up 6-2.

UVU scored a solo run in the top of the sixth to cut the lead in half at 6-3 as Niemann was driven home by another RBI hit from Steadman in the frame. Freshman Amanda Perez also singled in the inning but Steadman was cut down at the plate to end the Wolverine rally in the inning.

ISU then added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 7-3 lead heading into the last inning. Utah Valley then threatened as the first three hitters in the top of the seventh reached base to load things up. Megan Kisner led off with a pinch hit single and finally scored after two pop-ups as Sackett drove her home with a RBI single.

With the score at 7-4 with two outs and the bases loaded, Steadman hit a ball behind short which it originally looked like popped out of Bengals short-stops' glove as she dove to the ground which looked to keep the game alive for UVU. After the umpires gathered together they made a controversial call which cost the Wolverines the game as they called that the short-stop caught the ball before the she fell to the ground and lost it. But they ruled it a catch to end the game as ISU won 7-4.

Utah Valley will conclude its 2009 season tomorrow, with a Sunday doubleheader at Ute Field on the campus of the University of Utah beginning at noon.