Utah Softball Wins Two More at Red Desert Classic

Saturday, February 13

St. George, Utah

4:00 PM

University of Utah

Seattle University

Utah Softball Wins Two More at Red Desert Classic

2/13/2010 12:00 AM | Softball

Feb. 13, 2010

Box Score

ST. GEORGE, Utah - Sophomore second baseman Tia Palauni went 4-for-6 with nine RBI and two home runs as the University of Utah softball team earned two more wins Saturday with a 5-3 victory over Idaho State and a 9-1 run-rule win against Seattle at the Canyons Softball Complex.

Utah (4-0) hit .340 on the day, compared to a .213 mark for its opponents. The Utes were also extremely aggressive on the base paths, stealing seven bases.

Palauni was also impressive in the field, posting five putouts and one assist from her second base position in the Ute infield.

Senior Ashley Smuda pitched 12 innings between the two games and earned a pair of victories, allowing two earned runs on nine hits while striking out 16 batters.

Six different Utes stole seven bases on the day, led by a team-high two by Kelsi Hoopiiaina.

Utah 5, Idaho State 3

Smuda pitched her second complete game in three starts this season, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out nine Bengal hitters.

The Utes jumped out to an early 1-0 lead by manufacturing a run in the first inning. Brooke Olson hit a hard single past the ISU shortstop then stole second base. Hannah Clements managed to drop a sacrifice bunt to move Olson to third base. Whitney Holm finally drove Olson in for the first run of the game by hitting a fly ball to right field for her second RBI of the season and the 31st of her career.

Jasey Jensen led off the second inning by reaching base after an ISU error then Palauni knocked a single into right field and Jensen was able to score from first base on the play to put Utah up 2-0.

Utah tacked on two more runs in the third inning, beginning with Holm connecting on a double down the right field line. Kara Foster hit a single past the Bengal shortstop before Palauni looped a base hit into the left-center field gap to push Holm and Palauni past home plate and give Utah a 4-0 edge.

After ISU pulled to within one run at 4-3, Utah earned some insurance in the sixth inning when an errant throw by the ISU catcher on a steal by Hoopiiaina allowed Palauni to set the final margin at 5-3.

Utah 9, Seattle 1 (6 inn.)

Palauni hit two home runs and drove in six runs after a 2-for-4 performance at the plate against the Redhawks.

Senior first baseman Lindsey Palmer also connected for her first career home run and Holm and Foster added an RBI apiece as well.

To start the game, Clements laid down a bunt to the third-base side then Foster laced a double to left-center field to drive Clements across the plate and to give Utah a 1-0 lead.

After Seattle evened the score with a run in the bottom of the first inning, Utah regained the lead in the second inning beginning with another double to left-center field by Foster before Palauni tagged her first home run of the day to put the Utes up 3-1.

Utah broke the game open with six runs in the sixth inning as Palmer led off with her first career home run over the left-center field fence. Olson later doubled down the left-field line and moved over to third base after a sacrifice fly by Clements.

Holm managed to knock Olson in after reaching on an error by the Redhawk shortstop and then Foster got on board via an error by the SU third baseman to load the bases. With the bases loaded, Palauni stepped to the plate and cranked her first career grand slam to left center to give Utah a commanding 9-1 lead.

Smuda recorded her second win of the day on the day for the Utes, and her fourth this season, with five more solid innings while not allowing an earned run on three hits with seven strikeouts. Brittany Parker came on to finish the victory in the top of the sixth inning, allowing one hit with one strikeout and one walk.

The Utes conclude Red Desert Classic competition tomorrow against Tulsa. First pitch from the Canyons Softball Complex is set for 11 a.m.