Utah Softball Splits Doubleheader with Boise State

Wednesday, March 30

Salt Lake City

4:00 PM

University of Utah

Boise State

Utah Softball Splits Doubleheader with Boise State

3/30/2011 12:00 AM | Softball

March 30, 2011

SALT LAKE CITY - Sandi Bowles looped the game-winning two-run double to lead the University of Utah softball team to a 2-1 victory over Boise State in the second game of a doubleheader Wednesday at Ute Softball Field. The Utes dropped their home opener to the Broncos, 9-8, in the first game of the day.

"We needed that win in the second game," Utah head coach Amy Hogue said. "Losing two games today would have hurt. We had a lot of highlights today and there's nothing worse than not having a win to show for it, but getting that win at the end was big. We stayed in it and won that game with our defense, which is big for us when [Naomi Amu] is on the mound."

Utah (16-16) was led offensively throughout the day by Bowles, who aside from her game-winning two-out double, was 4-for-6 at the plate with two runs driven in during the two games.

Junior third baseman Whitney Holm had a break-out game in the first contest, hitting a pair of two-run home runs, to lead the Ute offense to an eight-run output. The Spanish Fork, Utah native posted a team-high 1.333 slugging percentage against the Broncos. She is now tied for the team lead with five home runs this season.

"Sandi and Whitney both hit the ball well," Hogue said. "What's fun about our lineup is that we can get hot at any spot from top to bottom. We have good hitters throughout our lineup and it could be anybody's day. Today it was Sandi and Whitney's. They looked good at the plate all day."

On the mound, Amu was the pitcher of record in both games after working 10.0 innings. She allowed five earned runs on 10 hits to go with four strikeouts and four walks.

Game 1: Boise State def. Utah, 9-8
Box Score

Generra Nielson got the start on the mound and went 4.0 innings while allowing five earned runs to go with a strikeout and one walk. Amu went the final 3.0 innings and gave up four earned runs with two walks and a strikeout.

Bowles and Holm both registered two hits in the first game of the afternoon with both of Holm's hits coming as two-run round-trippers.

The Utes scored six runs in their first two at-bats as Utah started the game off with two runs in the first inning. With two out in the bottom of the inning, Brooke Olson was hit by a pitch and Cheyella Myers drew a walk. Olson then advanced on a passed ball and Myers swiped second base then both players crossed home plate after an error by the Bronco second baseman.

Boise State responded with a leadoff home run over the center field wall to start its third inning and would tack on two more runs to take a 3-2 lead.

Bowles singled through the right side of the BSU defense then Holm's fourth home run of the season allowed Utah to regain the lead, 4-3. Jackie Sweet and Tara Glover both followed with singles before a Bronco throwing error put them on third and second base, respectively. Chalese Fankhauser lined an RBI single up the middle of the Boise State defense to push two runs across the plate for a 6-3 lead.

The Broncos scored five unanswered runs with two in the fourth and three more in the sixth inning, but Holm's fifth homer of the season, a two-run shot over the left-center field wall, tied the game at eight runs apiece.

Unfortunately, Boise State hit a one-out homer to left field to set the final margin at 9-8 in favor of the Broncos.

Game 2: Utah def. Boise State, 2-1
Box Score

In the second game of the day, Amu posted her fifth complete game of the season and allowed only one run on five hits to Boise State while striking out three Broncos and walking two in 7.0 innings.

After five scoreless innings, Boise State broke the scoring lid beginning with a double down the right-field line followed by a single on an 0-2 pitch to push the go-ahead run across the plate for the Broncos.

Then with two out in the bottom of the sixth and runners on second and third base for the Utes, Bowles lined a 2-0 pitch between BSU's left and center fielders that allowed Utah to score two runs.

The Utes continue their five-game homestand by hosting Idaho State in a single game on Friday at 4 p.m.