Utes Fall To Southern Mississippi 13-5 At NCAA Regional

Friday, May 21

Stanford, Calif.

10:00 AM

University of Utah

Southern Miss (NCAA Regional)

Utes Fall To Southern Mississippi 13-5 At NCAA Regional

5/21/2004 12:00 AM | Softball

May 21, 2004

Box Score

PALO ALTO, Calif.--The Utes struggled to put things together in their second game of the NCAA Regional, where they fell to fifth-seeded Southern Mississippi 13-5 on Friday morning. Utah ends its season with an overall record of 23-33, while making its 12th appearance in the NCAA Regionals.

In the first inning, the luck seemed to be going Utah's way as it managed to bring in a run without getting a hit. With one out, catcher Bryanne Durrence reached first when the shortstop's throw pulled the first baseman off the bag. The Golden Eagles recorded another out before Melissa Stahnke drew a walk to put two on with two out. Then, what looked to be a routine fly ball to get USM out of the inning, turned out to be an error by the right fielder and run for Utah.

Trailing 1-0, Southern Miss answered with four runs in the third off a grand slam by Sarah Boyd. The Golden Eagles added another in the fourth with the second dinger allowed by Ute pitcher Brianna Gourdin. Coming into today, Gourdin had allowed only two runs in her last four outings. The fifth run put an end to Gourdin's day in the circle, as Utah turned to freshman Melissa Oakes. Oakes would retire the next two to get Utah out of the inning with a 5-1 score. The Utes cut it to 5-2 in the latter of the inning after Lynsey Wall knocked her seventh home run of the year.

In the sixth, Utah struggled defensively and the luck seemed to switch to USM's side. The first two runners reached base after back-to-back errors by third baseman Melissa Stahnke. With the runners at the corner and one out, USM called for the squeeze play. Stahnke charged in on the ball and tossed to catcher Bryanne Durrence, who appeared to block the plate and tag the runner out. But, the umpire called the runner safe and in the meantime seesaw throws from catcher to second to catcher allowed another USM run to score. The damage was capped off on Jessica Huerta's two-run shot over the fence in left, making for a 9-2 margin.

The Utes battled in the sixth with a three-run inning. With two outs, Ivette Hernandez laced a single to right center. She was then subbed out for pinch runner Jenni Thurston, who would go onto score on Wall's second homer of the game. Utah's Kate Nygaard followed the score with a single through the left side. She was then pulled for pinch runner Texie Criddle, who would take off and score on a double over the left fielder's head by Sarah Lyman to make it 9-5.

The Ute defensive troubles and Lady Eagle offense carried over into a four-run seventh. After the leadoff batter reached on a single, she would move to third on a double down the left field line. Oakes would then get a strikeout before giving up an RBI single to right. Utah would then get a pop up for the second out before Stahnke threw above the first baseman's head, allowing the inning to stay open and two runs to score. With a 12-5 lead, USM would score again when Devina Quintero bobbled a singled ball in right field. After a Ute walk to leadoff the inning, USM would then retire three in a row to preserve the win.

Gourdin is credited with the loss to fall to 18-9 on the year. The sophomore allowed five runs and seven hits through three innings. In her four innings of relief, Oakes allowed just one earned run, while the other seven were unearned.

"We just ran out of steam as a team," said Head Coach Mona Stevens. "We couldn't turn a corner from last night to this morning."