Las Vegas, Nev. - March 5, 2010 - Southern Utah
softball fell to New Mexico State 11-3 in the morning match-up, and to
Portland State 9-0 in the afternoon game on the first day of the Eller
Media Stadium Classic, hosted by UNLV.
Game One:
New Mexico State scored one in the first, and one
in the third to claim a 2-0, pitcher's duel lead before blowing things
open in the fourth on a Hoku Nohara grand-slam home run.
Southern Utah answered with three runs in the fifth. Kara Bendt led off with a single to center. Bendt advanced to second, with Stephanie DeJesus safe at first when Aggie pitcher Carissa Theis' attempt to turn the double play sailed into center field.
Both advanced a base on Jenavieve Purcell's ground out. After Norian James loaded the bases when hit by a pitch, Brittany Henderson drove in Bendt and DeJesus with a single up the middle.
Aly Daniels flied out to center, moving James to third. Next, Henderson stole second, and Norian James scurried home from third on the miss-handled throw to catch Henderson. The inning ended 6-3, Aggies.
Unfortunately, SUU's turn of fortune reversed
itself when the Aggies tacked on one more in the fifth, and exploded
for another four runs in the bottom of the sixth to claim the 11-3,
mercy rule, walk-off win.
Carissa Theis (4-3) picked up the win; Kara Bendt (0-3) suffered the loss.
Game Two:
Once again SUU pitching hung tough through most of the ball game, but the bats could not come through.
Portland State, with small-ball, timely hits, and
good breaks managed a run in the second, and two more in the third to
claim a 3-0 lead through five innings of play.
But PSU exploded for six runs in the top of the
sixth sparked by five hits, a hit batsman and a Thunderbird throwing
error to make it 9-0.
The Vikings put down the Thunderbirds one-two-three in the bottom half of the frame to capture the 9-0, six inning win.
Anna Bertrand (3-2) claimed the win; Bubba Kearns (1-5) took the loss.
Saturday, SUU takes on #13 California at 1:30 p.m., and in-state rival Weber State at 8:15 p.m.
