May 2, 2010

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

POCATELLO, Idaho - For the second time in three games, the Utah Valley University Wolverines needed extra innings to defeat Idaho State in Pacific Coast Softball Conference action Sunday.

Meghan Woodworth tripled home Jessica Anderson, who walked to open the bottom of the eighth, to lead the Wolverines to the 7-6 victory over the Bengals in Game 1 of the doubleheader.

In Game 2, the first five Wolverines reached and scored in the bottom of the first inning and pitcher Heather Bacon made them stand in a 5-2 win to complete the sweep.

With the wins, the Wolverines (25-24, 11-5) set a new NCAA Div. I school record in wins. The previous record was 23 set in 2007.

UVU is still in the hunt for the conference championship, but the Wolverines will need to sweep Northern Colorado next Saturday and Sunday and have Seattle take at least three games from league-leading Portland State.

The Wolverines scored five runs in the first three innings, and Idaho State scored five in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to force the game into extra innings.

Anderson went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and Woodworth had two hits and two RBIs in the game, and Shaylyn Varney had a two-run double and it came in UVU's three-run third inning. Amanda Perez had three hits and one run scored.

Mandy Tapia started for the Wolverines and didn't figure into the decision after allowing five runs (four earned) on 10 hits. Jessica Martin fired the last three innings and improved to 7-2 with the victory. She allowed one run on two hits and fanned two.

"As a team we fought back and a lot of the girls hit the ball," UVU softball coach Todd Fairbourne said. "When it came right down to it it was Jess Martin. She had been struggling with her control and she found it. She was huge."

Martin had to go through the top of the Bengal line-up, which included the league's top hitter, in the top of the eighth.

In Game 2, Woodworth (double), Allison Barr (hit by pitch), Anderson (walked) all reached before Amber Sackett singled to right for the first run of the game. Perez followed with a grand slam.

Bacon allowed just two runs on six hits and struck out five in upping her record to 6-4.

"In the last game after we scored five runs I felt we were lifeless and fortunately Heather Bacon had their number," Fairbourne said. "She was the difference."

The Wolverines finished with five hits in the game, and four of them came in the first inning. Megan Kisner had UVU's other hit in the sixth inning.