"Today was a beautiful sunny day for softball," said head coach Dan Powers. "Our bats got hot and we played great defense in the first game. In the second game our offense worked hard and our defense stayed composed to hold off Utah Valley and earn the sweep on the day."
Jessica Ulrich (Lewiston, Idaho) earned her second win of the season in Seattle U's 11-1 early game victory. In 21 batters faced, she threw two strikeouts and scattered three hits in her six inning performance. At the plate, she was 1-for-2 with three RBIs, a run and a walk. Following a tough opening doubleheader the day before, where they fell in both games, Ulrich helped guide the Redhawks to a successful morning contest with the Wolverines.
After keeping UVU, who was the designated visitors on the day, off the board in the top of the first, Seattle U came to the plate. Katie Antich (Spokane, Wash.) earned a lead off walk and was advanced on Katie Petersen's (Mission Viejo, Calif.) ground out to the pitcher. Ulrich then followed with a fly out and Antich was sent to third on a wild pitch during Theresa Clark's (Lakewood, Colo.) at bat. With a runner on third, the SU freshman doubled to center field to break the Redhawks onto the board. Sandra Hernandez (Redlands, Calif.) doubled the lead with her single to left field to bring home Clark.
Utah Valley snapped onto the board in the top of the second inning behind Shaylyn Varney's two out home run. With the long ball, the Wolverines cut the Redhawks lead in half heading into the bottom of the second.
In the bottom half of the inning, Hannah Klein (Camarillo, Calif.) hit a one out single to center field. She would then be called out on Antich's fielder's choice. The inning was kept alive, with Petersen's single to shortstop. With runners on both first and second, Ulrich took to the plate. She slammed a double to center field to bring home both Antich and Petersen and give SU a 4-1 lead.
After giving herself run support at the plate, Ulrich took to the circle. She quickly got out of the third inning with three straight outs, including a leadoff strikeout. Heading into the bottom half of the inning, Hernandez led off with a single to center field. Megan MacIsaac (Santa Barbara, Calif.) sent Hernandez home with her double to center field. Jessica Amador (Whittier, Calif.) followed with a walk at the third spot in the lineup. Both Amador and MacIsaac came home on Allegra Wilde's (Missoula, Mont.) triple to center field. Two batters later, Antich singled to the pitcher and stole second. Petersen loaded the bases at her at bat, after getting hit by a pitch. After a pitching change by the Wolverines, Ulrich had a sacrifice fly to center field to score Wilde and bring SU to an 8-1 lead going into the fourth inning.
The Redhawks concluded the game in the bottom of the sixth. The inning was led off with back-to-back walks to Ulrich and Clark. With an out, MacIsaac slammed a three run home run to cap off the game and give SU their largest margin of victory all season.
Behind the momentum of their early decisive victory, SU stayed strong offensively heading into the second game. Antich led off the bottom of the first with a leadoff walk, but was called out on MacIsaac's fielder's choice. Ulrich followed with the second walk of the inning to advance MacIsaac to second. With two runners on and an out, Clark doubled to center field to score MacIsaac and give SU a 1-0 lead heading into the second.
In the top of the second, UVU evened the score with a lone run, but the Redhawks quickly bounced back onto the board in the bottom half of the inning. Rose Harrington (Missoula, Mont.) led off the inning with a triple down the right field line. With one out and a runner on third, Katie Gould (Medford, Ore.) was then walked, which was a prelude to several defensive changes made by the Wolverines. Two batters later, MacIsaac was walked and Ulrich followed with a third walk to send home Harrington. Clark then singled up the middle to score Gould, who was on third. The inning continued with Hernandez, who singled to second base and brought home MacIsaac. Seattle U rounded out their five run inning off Kate Zender's (Enumclaw, Wash.) two RBI single to right field.
After a scoreless third inning, UVU went to the plate in the top of the fourth down 6-1. Starting pitcher Kelsey Reynolds (Kent, Wash.) gave up four runs to the Wolverines to bring SU's lead to only one run, 6-5.
Klein came in a pitched relief in the game and closed out the game for Seattle U. In three innings of action, the sophomore pitcher was able to hold the Wolverines off the board for the remainder of the game to guide SU to a sweep on the day. She also earned her first save of the year.
On the day, the SU combined for 19 hits and 17 runs.
The Redhawks will close out the home half of the 2010 season with a final weekend series versus Northern Colorado. Seattle U will host a pair of doubleheaders at Logan Field from May 1 - 2, with first pitch slated for noon and 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.