April 14, 2012

Box Score

SEATTLE - Utah Valley University dropped a Pacific Coast Softball Conference doubleheader to Seattle University Saturday in the Pacific Northwest as it fell 2-0 in the opener and 11-2 in five innings in the nightcap.

With the losses the Wolverines fell to 24-16-1 overall and 5-5 in conference play while with the wins Seattle U improved to 13-20 overall and 6-4 in league play.

"Today was a very, very disappointing day," said UVU head coach Todd Fairbourne. "Seattle played with more heart and passion to earn both wins."

In the opener, both Tiffany Mills and Jessica Ulrich pitched very well for their respective teams as they combined to allow just eight hits in the contest.

Mills faced the minimum into the fourth inning but that's when the Redhawks managed to string together their first hits of the game off of her. SU manufactured a run that inning on a bunt after back-to-back hits to open the frame to take a 1-0 advantage.

SU then scored another run the very next inning, as the leadoff batter reached base after being hit by a pitch and scored on a two-out hit from Allegra Wilde to give the Redhawks a 2-0 lead.

UVU threatened offensively in the first, third, fourth and fifth innings but couldn't score as Ulrich pitched out of each threat for Seattle.

Jessica Uresti led UVU with a triple, while Krystin Jachim, Jamie North, Amanda Perez and Deianna Russell all singled for the Wolverines in the opener as well.

Mills (12-10) was the tough-luck loser in the circle for the Wolverines as she gave up just three hits, two runs, struck out four and didn't walk a batter. Ulrich (5-8) picked up the win for SU, as she allowed no runs on five hits.

In game number two, Seattle scored four runs in the first inning to jump out to an early 4-0 lead. The Redhawks then drove home three more in the third to extend their advantage to 7-0.

UVU scored its first run of the game in the fourth inning as Amanda Robinson singled to lead off the frame and later came around to score on an RBI single from North.

After another SU run in the last of the fourth made it an 8-1 ballgame, Wolverine relief pitcher Megan Peay recorded her first collegiate hit with a solo home run in the fifth to cut the deficit to 8-2.

Seattle U's Bubba Morrow then ended the game in the bottom of the fifth with a three-run homer to give the Redhawks the 11-2 victory.

Cassie Herrera started in the circle for the Wolverines and took the loss to drop to 7-5 on the year as she gave up seven runs in 2 2/3 innings. SU's Mandie Sugita (4-5) picked up the win as she allowed just two runs on six hits in five innings of work.

North led UVU from the plate by going 2-for-2 with an RBI, while the Redhawks had three hitters record two hits apiece. Morrow, Brianna Guerrero and Karina Smyth all finished 2-for-3 for SU in the second game.

Utah Valley and Seattle U will wrap-up the series with two more games on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. MT.