Softball 3/22/2012 1:55:00 AM SUU Strategic Communication

Thunderbirds Swept by Utes in Salt Lake City

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - March 21 - Southern Utah University softball suffered a pair of defeats in Salt Lake City on Wednesday afternoon, falling to the Utes 8-3 and 18-2. The losses drop the Thunderbirds to 15-11 on the year and 4-5 against in-state opponents.

The University of Utah opened game one with runs in the first and second on a home run and RBI single to take the lead 2-0. Southern Utah put its first lights on the board with a run in the top of the third as Tessa Loewen placed the ball over the fence in right center, making the game 2-1.

The Utes scored four more runs in the home half of the inning and then added two more in the bottom of the fourth to extend the lead to 8-1 and end SUU starter Heather Black's time in the circle. Black finished the game throwing 4.0 innings allowing the eight runs (six earned) on 11 hits and two walks with one strikeout.

Amber Marlett came on in relief for Southern Utah in the bottom of the fifth and held the Utes scoreless over the final two innings while allowing only a single walk. Meanwhile, SUU chipped into the Utah lead with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth as four hits manufactured two runs with Terysa Dyer recording an RBI double and Madison Relsey recording an RBI single.

The Thunderbirds continued to threaten in the seventh with two hits in the final frame, including a double off the bat of Loewen. However, the game ended with runners on the corners as SUU suffered the 8-3 loss.

In game two, Southern Utah held the Utes scoreless in three innings, but it was the two innings in which Utah scored that resulted in the 18-2 loss. Utah scored 10 runs in the first, chasing away SUU starter Danielle Axe after recording only one out in the inning. Eight more runs crossed the plate for the Utes in the third as Utah capitalized on six home runs and five doubles during the game.

SUU scored its runs in the top of the third as Ariel Morbeck and Mallory Wilkinson led off the inning with a pair of hits. The duo moved to second and third on a wild pitch, with Morbeck later scoring on a ground ball and Wilkinson crossing home plate on a Kelsey Bryant RBI single.

The Thunderbirds will look to put the losses behind them as the team takes its first conference road trip this weekend, facing Western Illinois in Macomb. The teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Friday with a single game on Saturday. Live stats for each game is anticipated to be available online at www.suutbirds.com.

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