CEDAR CITY, Utah - March 11 - Southern Utah University softball opened its slate in the Summit League with a 4-3 victory over IPFW on Friday afternoon before being unable to overcome nine Mastodons runs in the first inning of game two to fall 14-3 in five innings.  The split leaves the team with an overall record of 6-15 and 1-1 mark in Summit League play.  IPFW moves to 7-5-1 and 1-1 in conference play.

The offensive action was slow in game one as SUU starter Heather Black allowed only one IPFW hit through the first four innings.  IPFW's stater, Courtney Cronin was also strong, surrendering the Thunderbirds in order over the first two innings.

Southern Utah's first scoring threat came in the bottom of the third as Nicole Huntsman drew a one-out walk and Cora Cordova followed with a single.  A ground ball to first base moved the runners to second and third, but a second ground ball ended the frame without any T-Bird runs.

SUU finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth as Jenavieve Purcell, Aly Daniels and Haylee Hoch hit a trio of two-out singles.  Purcell and Daniels came around to score on Hoch's base knock as the junior fisted a ball to the pitcher and beat the throw to first.  The slow fielding allowed Purcell to score from second on a first base throwing error as Daniels also came around to score on the play.

IPFW answered in the top of the sixth with a pair of two-out runs, both unearned, as a T-Bird fielding error prolonged the inning for the Mastodons.  The 2-2 tie did not last long as Brittany Henderson led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and Katie Olinger got on base the hard way after being struck by a pitch.  A sacrifice bunt by Heather Richardson advanced the runners to second and third and RBI singles of the bats of Huntsman and Cordova gave the T-Birds the 4-2 lead.

The Mastodons scored a final run on an RBI double in the top of the seventh and had runners on second and third before the final two outs were recorded on a liner back to Black on the mound and a popup to Daniels at short.

Black earned the win in the circle, allowing three runs (one earned) in 7.0 innings and striking out seven.  Cronin suffered the loss, allowing four runs (two earned) in 6.0 innings with four strikeouts and two walks.

In game two, IPFW jumped on Southern Utah pitchers early as the Mastodons chased T-Bird starter Kara Bendt out of the circle after four batters.  Bubba Kearns came on to throw in relief, but the duo surrendered four walks and four hits, including a three-run home run as IPFW took an early 9-0 lead.

SUU battled back with three solo home runs off the bats of Daniels, Darleen Fernandez and Madison Resley in the home half of the inning, but five more runs in the top of the second by IPFW widened the gap to 14-3.  The Thunderbirds threatened again in the bottom of the inning with runners on first and second, facilitating an IPFW pitching change.  The move paid off as Mastodon reliever Amanda Olender threw the remaining 3.2 innings, allowing only one hit with four strikeouts.

Danielle Axe came on in relief for Southern Utah in the second and silenced IPFW bats in the third, fourth and fifth innings, allowing only one hit over the final three frames.

The two teams will finish out the three-game set tomorrow afternoon at Kathryn Berg Field with the first pitch scheduled for Noon.