ST. GEORGE, Utah - The Southern Utah University Softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader by a combined five runs on day two of the Dixie State Tournament.
Southern Utah vs New Mexico
The T-Birds began the day with a matchup against a strong New Mexico team who beat them by eight runs on opening weekend.
The Lobos got their bats going early, scoring five runs in the first two innings off of SUU pitcher Capri Franzen. After the first two frames, Franzen found her rhythm, allowing just two hits over the next three innings and completely shutting down New Mexico.
The Thunderbirds struggled on offense against New Mexico ace Amber Linton, going scoreless throughout the first four innings. In the bottom of the fifth, Riley Shue started off the inning by driving a single up the middle. Two batters later, Sophia Masut collected her second hit of the day by knocking a single down the right-field line, advancing Shue to third. In the next at-bat, Gianna Carosone smashed the second pitch she saw through the left side of the field to bring Shue home and cut the New Mexico lead to 5-1. With the T-Birds in need of a hit, Jayne Sepulveda took a 3-1 pitch up the middle for a clutch single, bringing home both Masut and Carosone to make it 5-3.
Relief pitcher Grace Owen took over for Franzen on the mound in the sixth and allowed just three hits and no runs over the final two innings; but, the T-Birds were unable to keep the momentum going on offense. They failed to score in the final two frames and fell to New Mexico, 5-3.
 Southern Utah vs Maine
Following a short break, the T-Birds turned around to play their second game of the day against Maine.
The Thunderbirds batted first; after a leadoff groundout, Sepulveda cranked a triple to right-center field for SUU's first hit of the game. Four pitches later, Makall Whetten ripped a double down the left-field line to bring Sepulveda home and take a 1-0 lead.Â
The Black Bears responded in the bottom of the first in the form of a Kelby Drews two-run homerun, taking their first lead of the game.Â
After a scoreless second inning from both sides, Southern Utah received back-to-back hits by Carosone and Sepulveda to start the third. After Whetten was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Riley Shue laced a single up the middle to bring Carosone home and keep the bases loaded. Reilly Williams earned a walk in the next at-bat to bring Sepulveda home for the second time in the contest, regaining the lead for SUU. Maine was able to get three consecutive outs to exit the inning.
The Black Bears continued to battle back, scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-3 lead heading into the fifth.
Shue reached first on an error to start the top of the fifth, and Dream Weaver had her first hit of the game two batters later, putting two T-Birds on base. A wild pitch allowed the pair of runners to advance; but, Maine once again found their way out of the jam, and SUU came up empty for the inning.Â
The Black Bears tacked on three insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth frame to take a 7-3 lead.Â
The Thunderbirds attempted to rally in their final at-bat, as Whetten was hit by a pitch in the first at-bat of the inning to give SUU a leadoff baserunner. Shue followed Whetten up by smacking a single through the left side, putting two on base. After a groundout, Weaver tallied her second hit of the day and brought Whetten home to make it 7-4. Unfortunately, that would be the final score, as SUU failed to score again, dropping their second game of the day.
Keimon Winston received the loss on the mound, pitching four innings while allowing four hits and four runs.
Notable Stats
Up Next
The Thunderbirds will resume tournament play tomorrow against Wisconsin, with first pitch scheduled for 12:30 PM MT.
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