May 3, 2011

Box Score

OREM, Utah - Utah Valley University softball dropped its home opener Tuesday in five innings to BYU 11-0 at newly renovated Wolverine Field. The Wolverines (18-25) will now turn their attention to this weekend's PCSC showdown with Idaho State trailing just one game back of first place Portland State.

The Wolverines need to pickup a game on the Vikings if they want to win the PCSC Mountain Division. UVU holds the tiebreaker however over Portland State as it took 3-of-4 from PSU in Portland earlier in the year.

Tuesday night BYU's (33-15) Paige Affleck and Tori Almond spoiled UVU's home opener as the duo combined to two-hit the Wolverines.

Utah Valley's first hit of the contest came off of Affleck with one out in the bottom of the third when senior Samantha Telarroja hit an infield single to second. UVU sophomore Charlee Cisneros then picked up the Wolverines second hit via another infield single in the fourth.

The two hits were all the offense the Wolverines could muster in the game as Affleck pitched four innings of impressive two-hit ball to get credited with the win (21-10). BYU's Almond also pitched a perfect one, two, three fifth inning. UVU freshman Josi Summers took the loss (12-13) but of the 11 BYU runs that were scored just four were earned as the Wolverine defense committed four errors behind her.

Kristin Delahoussaye and Jessica Fitu who each went 2-for-3 in the game led the Cougars offensively. Fitu and Delaney Willard both went deep for BYU in the third inning as well.

UVU's big series with Idaho State will begin with a Friday doubleheader slated to start at 2 p.m. The Wolverines and Bengals will then conclude the series Saturday with two more games beginning at 12 p.m. Saturday will also be senior day for UVU.

If the Wolverines end the weekend in first place in the PCSC Mountain Division, UVU will then host the PCSC Championships -- with an NCAA Tournament berth on the line -- May 13-14.