Reno, Nev. - March 1, 2010 - Southern Utah
softball dropped a 4-3 heart-breaker to St. Mary's, and a 7-1 decision
to host Nevada on the final day of the Wolfpack Classic.
Game 1:
Southern Utah plated one run in the second when Kara Bendt drove in Whitnie Griffith, but St. Mary's responded in the bottom of the third with a 2 RBI single to take a 2-1 lead.
The Gaels added one more in the fifth.
Backs to the wall, SUU came through with two runs in the top of the final frame to tie the score at three. Whitnie Griffith led off with a double. Kara Bendt reached on a fielder's choice.
Griffith scored on Katie Olinger's single to right. Jayli Zingleman, pinch running for Bendt crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
Southern Utah left two stranded runners in the
inning-proving costly, as in the bottom half, the Gaels added
small-ball strategy to a lead off single by Mandy Camuso to push the
necessary run across, and claim the 4-3 victory.
Game 2:
The Wolfpack pounced on the Thunderbirds for three
runs in the opening frame, and never looked back, adding two in the
fourth, and one each in the fifth and sixth.
The lone Thunderbird run came in the fifth when Jenavieve Purcell's single drove in Makinna Meeks.
Nevada's Katie Holverson (2-3) held SUU to just
five hits, struck out ten Thunderbirds, and surrendered only one walk
in route to her second win of the season.
Southern Utah used all three pitchers, allowing ten hits, and five free passes. Bubba Kearns (1-4) took the loss.
Southern Utah next travels to Las Vegas to participate in the Eller Media Stadium Classic, hosted by UNLV.