Ute Softball Takes a Pair of 2-1 Wins

Friday, March 13

Honolulu, Hawai'i

9:00 AM

University of Utah

St. John's

3/13/2009 12:00 AM | Softball

March 13, 2009

Box Score

HONOLULU, Hawaii - The University of Utah softball team gained a pair of 2-1 victories over St. John's and Wisconsin Friday at the Chevron Spring Fling in Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

With two consecutive victories, the Utes improved to 12-18 overall. Freshman third baseman Whitney Holm was the Utes' leading hitter on the day, going 3-for-6 with a double. Three Utah pitchers combined for a 0.50 ERA, while allowing only one earned run in 14 innings with 14 strikeouts.

"We really got some timely hitting today," Hogue said. "We were able to manufacture the runs that we needed and found a way to win with good pitching, good defense and timely hitting."

Utah 2, St. John's 1

Senior first baseman Staci Hemingway drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning and junior Lindsey Palmer struck out 11 in five innings

Utah was tied with St. John's 1-1 heading into the sixth inning when sophomore catcher Brooke Olson recorded a swinging strikeout but reached base after a passed ball. After a Ute strikeout, Hemingway came through in the clutch with a two-out double to left field to push Olson across the plate for the game-winning run. Hemingway now has 11 RBI this season.

Palmer got 11 strikeouts in only five innings, allowing one earned run on six hits in a no-decision performance. Five of the first six outs Palmer recorded were strikeouts. She struck out the side in the first inning and got her fourth strikeout as Stacia Dopudja went down looking to lead off the second inning. Shauntaine Harris struck out swinging for the final out of the frame.

"[Palmer] has been waiting for an opportunity and it showed today," Utah head coach Amy Hogue said. "She came out and really started great for us against a really good lineup. [Getting strikeouts] is obviously such an easy way to shut down hitters."

Sophomore Brittany Parker got the win after facing the minimum amount of Red Storm hitters in the final two innings, not allowing a run or hit with one strikeout. The Murray, Utah native picked up her first victory of the season and is now 1-3 on the year.

"When [Parker] comes into a game, she gives the hitters a different look," Hogue said. "She was effective because she was able to keep her off-speed pitches down."

The Utes opened scoring in the game when senior right fielder Angie Boardman led off the third inning with a solo home run over the left-center field fence, her third round-tripper of the season and sixth RBI.

St. John's threatened in the fourth inning when Roxy Struble singled through the left side of the Ute defensive alignment. Julia Sanchez came on as a pinch runner then stole second base and advanced to third after a wild pitch. Fortunately, Palmer got Kacee Cox to strike out looking. Dopudja then laid down a bunt, but Palmer was able to cut Sanchez down at the plate for the second out of the inning. Dopudja was then caught stealing by Olson for the final out of the frame.

The Red Storm (8-7) evened the score at one run apiece in the top of the sixth inning when Meghan Gwynn hit a leadoff home run to right center field.

Utah 2, Wisconsin 1

Utah junior centerfielder Kara Foster slammed a two-run home run over the center-field fence in the sixth inning to give Utah a 2-1 victory over Wisconsin in the second game of the day.

Foster leads the Utah offense with 12 round-trippers and 23 RBI this season and is now just two home runs away from tying Melissa Stahnke (2001-04) for the school record. The Derby, Kan., native has hit 47 home runs in her career.

Parker got the start and pitched 4.1 innings and did not allow an earned run on four hits while striking out one. Smuda took the mound for the final 2.2 innings to take her eighth win of the season. The Scottsdale, Ariz., native improved her record to 8-6 this season with a 3.96 ERA.

"[Parker] was on a roll after the first game of the day," Hogue said. "She did exactly what we wanted her to do, then [Smuda] was ready to come in and shut down [Wisconsin] with a different look."

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Wisconsin had a runner in scoring position with two outs, but Smuda was able to get Katie Soderberg to hit a hard line drive to shallow center where Foster made a diving stab for the final out of the game.

The Badgers (8-17) got on the scoreboard first in the second inning for a 1-0 advantage. UW hurler Letty Olivarez took the loss.

Utah concludes its Chevron Spring Fling slate against No. 9/11 California tomorrow at 11 a.m. HT in Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.