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Angie Boardman hit her ninth home run of the season Friday at UNLV.
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May 1, 2009
LAS VEGAS - Senior right fielder Angie Boardman and freshman second baseman Tia Palauni each hit solo home runs, but the University of Utah softball team fell 14-4 in six innings to UNLV in a Mountain West Conference game Friday at Eller Media Softball Stadium.
Utah (20-28, 2-7 MWC) got multiple-hit performances from Boardman and senior first baseman Staci Hemingway. Boardman went 2-for-4 at the plate with one RBI, recording both hits in her first two trips to the plate: a double in the first inning and a home run in the third. Hemingway went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and an RBI.
Freshman Joni Cook started the game on the mound for the Utes. Cook went 5.1 innings and gave up nine earned runs on 14 hits while walking two and striking out a pair of Rebels, but still saw her record dip to 4-10 in decisions this season
The Utes' offense got off to a quick start as Hemingway drew a one-out walk in the first inning before Boardman lined a 1-2 pitch to center field for a double to push Hemingway to third base. Freshman third baseman Whitney Holm lofted a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Hemingway for the first score of the game. Holm, a Spanish Fork, Utah native, has now driven in 26 runs this season. Unfortunately, the Utes' record when scoring first this season fell to 15-8.
The Rebels came back with five unanswered runs in the bottom half of the first and second innings. The first frame started with Brittany Bolinger hitting a one-out single to left field and Jaci Hull following with a walk. After Cook got Kendall Fearn to strike out, Ashli Holland singled through the left side of the Utah defense to push Bolinger across home plate.
UNLV (30-18, 6-7 MWC) started its four-run second inning when Marissa Nichols and Bolinger knocked back-to-back RBI singles. With two down later in the inning, Holland and Alyssia De La Torre followed with another set of run-scoring base hits.
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After UNLV put runners on second and third base in the fourth inning, the Rebels got one run back as Holland managed to hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Hull for their sixth run of the game.
With one out in the sixth inning, Palauni started a two-run rally when she received a 3-2 delivery and knocked her second home run of the season, a solo shot, over the left-field fence to cut Utah's deficit to 6-3. The Taylorsville, Utah, native has driven in five runs this year. Utah now leads the MWC with 54 home runs this year.
After the Rebels got a strikeout, senior shortstop Sharee Fonoti kept the inning alive when she reached base after a dropped fly ball by the Rebel second baseman. Kara Foster then came up with her first hit of the game, a single to center field, to advance Fonoti to second base.
UNLV took control of the contest with an eight-run sixth inning. Fearn led things off for the Rebels by hitting a three-run home run to center field with one out in the sixth inning then Elena Fata and Laura Briones followed with consecutive RBI singles down the right-field line before Chey Farley extended UNLV's lead to 10 runs at 14-4 with a three-run homer to center field to end the contest via `run rule.'
Stephanie Bregante got the decision on the mound for the Rebels, pitching six innings and allowing three earned runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. Bregante's record improved to 10-4.
The Utes conclude their regular-season road schedule against UNLV tomorrow at Eller Media Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev. Tomorrow's first pitch is set for 1 p.m. PT.
