Upcoming Event: Softball versus Utah Valley on October 2, 2025 at 4 p.m.
4 p.m.
Softball
vs Utah Valley
Saturday, May 15
Fresno, CA (WAC Tournament)
1:00 PM
University of Utah
2
at
0
Hawaii
Utes Take Second after Great Run in WAC Softball Tournament
6/21/1999 12:00 AM | Softball
FRESNO, Calif. - The ending didn't do the story justice. After finishing fifth in the conference during the regular season, the Utah softball team strung together four wins in five games to reach the championship round of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament before falling to second-ranked Fresno State 8-0 in five innings on Saturday afternoon at Bulldog Diamond.
Pitcher Sarah Farnworth, left fielder Lisa Hashimoto and third baseman Lyndsey Trevis were named to the all-tournament team.
Utah may well have spent all of its energy just reaching the championship round. The Utes battled Hawai'i for nearly three hours before winning 2-0 in the 13 innings. Farnworth did it all for the Utes. The sophomore from Upland, Calif., went the distance on the mound, scattering 12 hits and one walk while striking out six. She also drove in one of Utah's two runs.
After both teams squandered countless opportunities, thanks largely in part to sparkling defensive plays, Utah finally brought two runs across in the top of the 13th. Sunny Smith singled with one out, advanced to second on an error by shortstop Regina Ka'aihili on a ground ball hit by Jenny Monson, and was driven in with a single by Lyndsey Trevis. Farnworth, who went 3-for-6 in the game, gave herself a little cushion with an RBI single to score Trevis.
The Rainbow Wahine outhit the Utes 12-11, but left 14 stranded while Utah left 11 on base. Hawai'i hurler Janelle Gonzales struck out eight and gave up two unearned runs, falling to 6-6.
In the championship game, Fresno State, playing just its third game in three days, while Utah was playing its sixth, was clearly the fresher team. The Utes committed three errors and gave up three unearned runs in the first two innings. It was then, after pitching 42 consecutive innings for the Utes, that Farnworth's tank finally ran dry. She left to a standing ovation from the partisan crowd of 1,774 at Bulldog Diamond with two runners on base and no outs in the top of the third.
The Bulldogs added another run in the third and four more in the fifth to end the game. Molly McLean got the Utes' only hit against Kristin Hunter (24-5), who struck out five in five innings. Farnworth fell to 19-13 with the loss, surrendering four runs (one earned) off of five hits. Kristin Arbogast pitched three innings in relief, giving up four runs, three earned runs and seven hits.
"We just had no legs left in that last game," said an exasperated Ute head coach Mona Stevens. "Our energy level and fatigue was really a factor; and Fresno State was very fresh and really came out after us. I'm so proud of this team. They left it all out on the field this weekend and they can feel proud of the effort they gave here.
"Sarah was our horse," Stevens continued. "We just kept going with her until she had nothing left. She didn't do anything spectacular, but she trusted herself and the defense behind her and just didn't make many mistakes. When her head and her heart is into it like it was this weekend, she can be a dominating pitcher."
Utah 000 000 000 000 2 - 2 11 3 Hawai'i 000 000 000 000 0 - 0 12 2Farnworth and Smith; Gonzales and Degen. W-Sarah Farnworth, 19-12. L-Gonzales, 6-6.
Fresno State 121 04 - 8 12 0 Utah 000 00 - 0 1 0
Farnworth, Arbogast (3) and Smith; Hunter and Slaney. W-Hunter, 24-5. L-Farnworth, 19-13.
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