“We weren’t able to put all three phases – hitting, defense, and pitching – together today,” said head coach Dan Powers. “We had great pitching but our bats were silent and we had untimely errors. We will spend the next few weeks at home getting some rest. This team has looked excellent in each phase at different points this season, so now we need to regroup and put it all together.”
Southern Utah 3, Seattle U 0
In game one, one error and one half inning would make the difference as Southern Utah scored the deciding runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 3-0 lead, which would be the final margin.
Stellar defense by the Thunderbirds would not allow a Redhawk on base until the top of the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the frame, Kelli Hales would score the first of three runs on a Seattle U error after starting the inning with a single through the right side. With two outs, Sara Park hit an RBI double to left center followed by an RBI single from Lyndsey Healey to a similar spot to drive in the final two runs.
The Redhawks attempted to mount a comeback in the top of the sixth, opening the inning with back-to-back one-out singles, but Seattle U would strand two runners on base to end the inning.
In the circle, Alyssa Reuble (Lynnwood, Wash.) was handed the loss, allowing three runs on five hits while walking five and striking out three. For Southern Utah, Katie Greenberg earned the complete game shutout, allowing three hits and striking out two.
Weber State 3, Seattle U 0
The Redhawks would leave a runner on base in the first and third innings while Weber State would do the same in the second and fourth but the score remained tied through five and a half innings.
Seattle U’s best scoring chance came in the top of the sixth as Kayla Shuster-Gonzales (Escondido, Calif.) and Sara Dominguez (Santa Ynez, Calif.) reached first and second, but the Redhawks stranded both on base keeping the game scoreless.
The Wildcats earned places on second and third base on back-to-back Redhawk fielding errors and Aubrey Whitmer drove the first two runs home on a two-RBI single. Alyson Kulp scored the final run on an SU fielding error. Seattle U was able to prevent further scoring, holding two Wildcats on base to end the inning.
Despite the loss, the Redhawks outhit the Wildcats, 4-3, while Hayley Beckstrom (Maple Valley, Wash.) led Seattle U at the plate, batting 2-for-2.
Mandie Sugita (Rossmoor, Calif.) suffered the loss in the circle for Seattle U, giving up just three runs, none earned, on three hits while walking one and striking out two. MaCauley Flint picked up the win for Weber State, giving up four hits while walking three and striking out five.