Utes Open Season 2-0

Friday, February 8

St. George, Utah

4:00 PM

University of Utah

Rhode Island

2/8/2008 12:00 AM | Softball

Feb. 8, 2008

Box Score

ST. GEORGE, Utah - The Utah softball team opened its season with two victories on the first day of the Red Desert Classic, downing Wisconsin, 3-1, and Rhode Island, 10-4.

Ashley Smuda started her Utah career throwing a two-hitter against Wisconsin. She had nine strikeouts in the victory.

Down 1-0 after the Badgers scored in the first inning, Angie Boardman put the Utes on top with a two RBI double in the sixth inning, scoring Staci Hemingway and Devina Quintero. Boardman went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Hemingway and Quintero were both 2-for-3 in the game, while each scored a run.

"We had a few opportunities and just kept at it and finally got it done," said head coach Amy Hogue, who earned her first victory at Utah with the win. "Once we got on the board, everything broke open at once. I am really proud of how we competed hard the entire game on defense. For Ashley to throw a two-hitter is great."

Against Rhode Island, the highlight of the game came on Hemingway's grand slam in the sixth inning. She went 3-for-4 with four RBI and scored twice. Kara Foster was also 3-for-4 on the day while Quintero was 2-for-2 with four RBI.

Freshman Brittany Parker earned her first collegiate win, pitching five innings and striking out four. Smuda pitched the first two innings and recorded two strikeouts.

"I am really pleased with the way we came away with 22 hits in the first two games," Hogue said. "We made some mistakes in the second game, but made up for that at the plate."

The Utes return to action at the Classic on Friday, Feb. 9, against Southern Utah and Idaho State.

Utah 10, Rhode Island 4

Utah got things started early against Rhode Island, with three crossing the plate in the first inning. Kristie Keller and Hemingway each singled, then scored when Quintero hit a blast over the fence to put the Utes up 3-0.

Quintero earned her fourth RBI of the game in the third inning, driving in Keller with a single. The Utes also scored two in the fourth, with Foster's home run and three-straight singles from Boardman, Sharee Fonoti and Bonnie Muir, scoring Boardman on the rally, giving Utah a 6-0 lead.

Rhode Island rallied in the sixth inning, scoring three runs on two hits, including a double from Leah DiBussolo and a triple from Melissa Wilson. However, the Utes came back to add four runs in the bottom of the inning on Hemmingway's grand slam.

Danielle Quimby rounded out the scoring for Rhode Island with a home run in the seventh inning.

More information forthcoming on the Wisconsin game.