Utah Softball Tops New Mexico, 5-2

Thursday, May 5

Albuquerque, N.M.

6:00 PM

University of Utah

New Mexico

5/5/2011 12:00 AM | Softball

May 5, 2011

Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Senior catcher Brooke Olson started the University of Utah softball team's stretch run through Mountain West Conference play in impressive fashion by going 4-for-4 with a pair of RBI to lead the Utes to a 5-2 win over New Mexico at Lobo Field on Thursday night.

Utah (28-19, 6-2 MWC) completed the season sweep of New Mexico by outhitting the Lobos, 9-6, and was not charged with an error for the 19th time this season. The Utes are 12-7 in such contests.

Olson was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate against the Lobos. She also drove in two runs and scored a pair of runs as well. She started the game with a leadoff home run, which was her third round-tripper this season and the 10th of her career. Olson also added two singles and a double later in the contests. Her three RBI in the game bumped her season total up to 14 and she now has 41 over her career.

Katelyn Elliott, Chalese Fankhauser, Tara Glover, Whitney Holm and Brittany Parker each registered one hit apiece for the Utah offense as well.

On the mound, Generra Nielson earned her 20th win of the year (20-11) after going 6.0 innings. Nielson allowed two earned runs on five hits while striking out three and not issuing a single walk. Amu came on for the seventh and retired the Lobos in order for her first career save. The Oceanside, Calif., native struck out two of the three hitters she faced.

Olson got the Utah offense started with a leadoff home run over the left field fence in the first inning. In the fifth frame, Holm slapped a leadoff double down the right-field line, her 14th extra-base hit of the season. After Cheyella Myers drew a one-out walk, Olson knocked an RBI single to left field to score Holm then Myers crossed the plate after an errant throw by the Lobo defense. Glover followed with another RBI single to cap Utah's scoring in the inning. Glover stands sixth on the team with 24 RBI in 2011.

Utah added its sixth score in the sixth inning when Fankhauser led off the frame with a single up the middle. Tia Palauni then laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Fankhauser to second base and Parker knocked her in with an RBI single. Parker, a senior from Murray, Utah, has driven in 13 runs this season.

Back-to-back home runs by the Lobos to start the bottom of the seventh inning chased Nielson from the game before Amu came on to record her first career save after striking out two of the three UNM hitters she faced.

Utah heads north to Fort Collins, Colo, to take on Colorado State tomorrow at 4 p.m. MT. Follow the action live on Gametracker at csurams.com.