Softball 2/26/2012 9:58:00 PM SUU Strategic Communication

SUU Softball Takes Series with 8-6 Victory over Weber State

CEDAR CITY, Utah - Feb. 26 - Southern Utah University softball had a 7-1 lead going into the top of the fifth and weathered a late push by Weber State to post an 8-6 victory over the Wildcats on Sunday afternoon. The win moves the T-Birds to 6-7 on the year while WSU drops to 4-9.

"We did a good job today," head coach Kyle Magnusson said after the game. "Weber made a big push there at the end, but I was proud of how Ashley (Ostler) came in to the game and finished things off for us."

Ostler earned the save for Southern Utah after coming on in relief in the top of the seventh and recording the final three outs. The true freshman had only thrown one inning all season before coming in to punctuate the T-Bird victory.

Weber State scored the first run of the game on some shifty base running in the first, creating a run on what would have been a routine single to right field. Southern Utah answered with a run of its own in the home half of the first, scoring on an RBI single off the bat of Kelsey Bryant.

A grand slam home run by Mikkel Griffin in the second capped the Thunderbirds' scoring in the inning with Mallory Wilkinson also recording an RBI single as SUU took a 6-1 lead. Griffin finished the three-game series, batting a perfect 5-for-5 from the plate with a double, two home runs, six RBI and seven walks.

Another RBI single by Bryant in the fourth inning increased Southern Utah's advantage to six, 7-1. Weber State chipped into the margin with two runs in the fifth, making the most of a T-Bird error and wild pitch with two outs on the board.

Kadi Henderson wrapped up the Southern Utah scoring in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single to left field, stretching the lead to 8-3. Megan Gurski came on as a relief pitcher for SUU in the top of the sixth, sitting down the Wildcat lineup in order, but ran into trouble in the top of the seventh after allowing a pair of singles and a three-run home run that put Weber State within two, 8-6.

It was then that freshman replaced freshman with Ostler recording a strikeout and inducing two ground balls to put the finishing touches on the Thunderbird victory.

Danielle Axe was awarded her second win of the series, throwing 5.0 innings where she allowed three runs (one earned) on eight hits and one walk with six strikeouts. Weber State's Sarah Clark suffered the loss, throwing 4.0 innings and allowing seven runs (three earned) on seven hits and four walks with three strikeouts.

Southern Utah will have a quick turnaround before its next game, facing Dixie State College in St. George on Tuesday afternoon. The teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader with the first pitch of game one scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Live stats for the games is anticipated to be available online at www.suutbirds.com.

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