April 23, 2005
SALT LAKE CITY -
Utah used a walk-off, two-run home run in game one from Lynsey Wall, then rode the pitching of Brianna Gourdin in game two to sweep San Diego State in softball action Saturday afternoon at the Ute Softball Field. The Aztecs drop to 23-25 on the season, 1-13 in the Mountain West, and the Utes improve to 17-24, 5-9 in the MWC.
In game one, SDSU and <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Utah were locked in a pitcher's duel, with Celena Velasquez and Lindsie Nielsen each scattering numerous hits until Wall's walk-off homer. Velasquez (11-10) went six innings, allowing two runs on five hits, striking out three and walking one. Nielson (7-12) also worked a complete game, scattering seven hits, striking out five, walking three and stranding 11 Aztec runners. <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
SDSU got their lone run in the third inning, as Erin Mahoney led off with a bunt single and was followed by a Ute error that moved Mahoney to third and set up Allison Smith for a sacrifice fly. SDSU left the bases loaded twice, including the sixth inning where the Aztecs had the bases packed with one out.
Trailing by the solo run in the bottom of the seventh, Utah's Bryanne Durrence led off the inning with a bunt single and then Wall stepped up and smacked her fifth homer of the season.
Tamani Wells, Mahoney, Smith, Taryin Casillas, Danielle Touhey, Amanda Beasley and Bree Boyer all had singles for SDSU to lead the seven-hit attack.
In game two, Cori Janelli (9-13) pitched a great game, going five innings allowing four hits and two runs, one earned, with six strikeouts, but Gourdin (10-11) was better, working a complete game with three hits. Katie Cochran pitched one inning in relief for the Aztecs, allowing a hit.
SDSU had an opportunity to dent the scoreboard in the fifth, leading off with a Megan McDonald single, followed by a Kristen Carranza double that split the outfield for the Utes, but they were able to recover in time to throw out pinch runner Boyer at home, ending the major Aztec threat of the game.
Utah, however, was able to capitalize on chances in the fifth when, with a pair of Utes on, Diana Phillips laced a single to leftfield that the Aztecs misplayed, allowing the two runs to score and digging SDSU a hole they couldn't escape.
Beasley, 1-for-1, and Carranza, 1-for-2 with a double, led the Aztec batters.
The Aztecs are now at home for the remainder of the regular season schedule, starting out with UNLV next Saturday in a doubleheader scheduled to begin a 1 PM PST.