April 17, 2010

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

OREM, Utah - With a doubleheader split with Portland State Saturday, Utah Valley University remains one-game out of first place in Pacific Coast Softball Conference action.

The Wolverines needed nine innings to beat the Vikings 3-1 in Game 1, and in Game 2 UVU, playing as the visiting team, led by a run heading in the bottom of the seventh, but PSU scored two to take the 4-3 win.

With the spilt, the Wolverines are 19-19 overall and 5-3 in league play, while the Vikings are 16-23 overall and 6-2 in PCSC action.

"I'm proud of the girls for the way they played," UVU head coach Todd Fairbourne said. "When we play good teams everybody has got the be there, and the first game was a good example of that all the way through. In the second game we hit the ball, but couldn't string any together. It was a tough one to lose."

In Game 1, the Vikings had runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the eighth but a pair of spectacular defensive plays by Megan Gardner at second base preserved the tie.

First, she threw out a runner at the plate, and on the next hitter she made a driving stop on a ball headed up the middle and tagged second for the third out of the inning.

Following the defensive gems, Amber Sackett and Cherylyn McGraw drove in one run each in the top of the ninth inning and UVU held on for the two-run victory.

Kyli Flanary (9-7) picked up her second straight victory over the Vikings by allowing just one run on six hits. She fanned three and walked just two.

UVU got on the board first in the second inning when Gardner drove in Mandy Tapia, who tripled to open the frame.

The Wolverines held the lead until the bottom of the sixth when the Vikings got a homer to knot the score at 1-1.

McGraw finished with two of the Wolverines' five hits in the game.

In Game 2, the Vikings led 2-0 heading into the top of the seventh, but Amanda Perez hit a bases-loaded, two-out, three-run double to give the Wolverines the lead.

The Vikings, however, answered with two in the bottom of the inning to get the win.

Flanary started, but didn't figure in the decision. Jessica Martin, who threw four innings, took the loss to fall to 4-3.

Tapia went 3-for-3, while Meghan Woodworth, Gardner, and Perez had two hits each.

The Wolverines are back in action Monday when they travel to Salt Lake City for a non-conference meeting with Utah. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.