Utah Softball Trounces New Mexico, 9-1

Saturday, April 17

Albuquerque, N.M.

12:00 PM

University of Utah

New Mexico

4/17/2010 12:00 AM | Softball

April 17, 2010

Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Sophomore third baseman Whitney Holm was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and starter Ashley Smuda threw her second consecutive complete game as the University of Utah softball team defeated New Mexico, 9-1 in five innings, Saturday at Lobo Field.

Utah (19-21, 2-3 MWC) got offensive production throughout the lineup with eight different players collecting hits, highlighted by multiple-hit performances from Holm, Hannah Clements and Jasey Jensen.

Holm was a home run short of the cycle as she doubled in the first, hit a single in the third then came up with her third triple of the year in the fifth.

Three different Utes had multiple RBIs in the contest as well, with Brooke Olson and Kara Foster driving in three runs apiece while Joni Cook was credited with two RBI, her second consecutive multiple-RBI performance.

In the circle, Smuda got the start again for the Utes and registered her 10th complete game of the year and the 36th of her career. The Scottsdale, Ariz., native allowed one run in five innings while striking out five and allowing two walks.

Utah started the scoring with a run in the second frame thanks to a leadoff double by Holm who was then driven in by a Cook single to left field.

The Utes then put together a six-run inning in the third to take control of the game. Jensen lined a 2-2 pitch down the left-field line for a double before Olson pounded a three-run homer, her third of the year. Utah then strung together three consecutive singles before Foster was hit by a pitch to force across the fourth run of the frame. Cook then got aboard after an error by the Lobo shortstop to allow Kelsi Hoopiiaina to score. Jensen was able to slap a single to right field drive Foster in for the final run of the frame and to give Utah a 7-0 advantage.

New Mexico got a run back in its half of the third inning via a walk and two singles.

Utah forced the run-rule into effect with a pair of runs in the fifth as Holm's triple down the left-field line set the table for Foster to come up and hit a two-run home run over the center-field wall. Foster, a senior from Derby, Kan., now has a team-high seven home runs this season and extended her own school-record mark to 60 for career home runs.

Foster is now one home run shy of tying BYU's Oli Keohohou's (2001-03) conference record of 61 career home runs.

Utah hosts Utah Valley Monday at 3 p.m. Listen to the action at utahutes.com by clicking the `Live Audio' link on the right-hand side of the softball schedule page.