TEMPE, Ariz. – February 14, 2010 – Southern Utah softball fell
to two PAC-10 teams in the final day of the Kajikawa Classic hosted by Arizona
State.
Oregon State batters rocked Thunderbird pitching in an 11-0
loss in the morning game. In the
afternoon, the T-Birds fell short of an upset against tournament host, and #5
Arizona State by a score of 3-0.
Game One:
Oregon State jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning
on a Mary Claire Brenner home run with McKenna Lowe and Paige Hall aboard.
The Beavers picked up another in the third on a solo shot by
Brenner.
But the real damage came in the fourth when the Beavers hit
for the cycle scoring seven runs on seven hits: three singles, a double, a
triple, and two home runs including another by Brenner.
Brenner's hat-trick, and stellar Beaver pitching held the
game to a five-inning affair, with Darleen Fernandez and Stephanie DeJesus the
only Thunderbirds to tally hits.
Paige Hall (2-3) picked up the win, while Kara Bendt (0-1)
lost her first decision of the season.
Game Two:
Senior left-hander Kristina Brooks held #5 Arizona to just
five hits, but Sun Devil pitching proved even more stingy, allowing just two
Thunderbird hits in route to a 3-0 Devil shut out.
The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth, when the
host—Sun Devils, playing as the visiting team plated a run on an Annie Lockwood
solo homer.
ASU picked up another in the fifth on another solo dinger,
this time by Leslie Rogers.
Arizona State added one more in the top-half of the final
frame on yet another solo home run—Katelyn Boyd doing the honors.
Sun Devil pitching sat the Thunderbirds down one-two-three
in the bottom half to secure the 3-0 win.
Southern Utah returns from Tempe with a record of 1-5—the
win coming on the opening day against former coach Jodie Hermanek and her Ohio
Bobcats, 7-6.
The 'Birds stay close to home, traveling to St. George on
Saturday February 20, to play a double-header with Dixie State. The games will begin at 1:00pm and will
highlight cancer awareness.
