Feb. 10, 2008
Final Stats
Pocatello, ID --- Ashley Smuda and Brittany Parker of Utah scattered four singles over seven innings as Utah handed the Bengals their third straight defeat to open the season, 4-1 in St. George at the Red Desert Classic. Despite ISU's offensive struggles, the Bengals against had the tying run at the plate at the end of the game.
Smuda was superb early, retiring the first 10 batters she faced before ISU finally broke through with a single by Amber Sackett in the fourth, but by then, it was already 2-0 Utah. The Utes touched Andrea Coburn for a run in the first when Devina Quintero singled home Kristie Keller with two outs. Keller opened the inning with a walk. Utah got a run in the second as well, this one unearned. Kara Foster reached to open the inning on a Merissa Jannsen error, and then Angie Boardman doubled to make it second and third. ISU escaped a lot of damage when they turned an unconventional double play. Sharee Fonoti hit a grounder to Jannsen, and the runner delayed on going. Jannsen threw out Fonoti, and both runners broke. First baseman Heather Dixon elected to go to third, and cut down Boardman for a 6-3-5 double play.
Utah added two more in the fourth Foster homered to lead things off, and then Whitney Chaffe threw a ball into center field with two outs, allowing a fourth run to cross.
The Bengals scored their lone run in the fifth when ISU got singles by Wailana Buchanan, Stephanie James, and Jannsen to load the bases with none out. However, Smuda got out of most of the trouble. She struck out pinch hitter Ivy Sessions before walking in a run when Emily Hu reached on a free pass. Megan Miller then grounded to second, forcing James at home for the second out before Sackett lined out to right to end the threat.
Parker than looked lights out in relief, getting her first four hitters before walking Jannsen and Hu in the seventh, but she struck out Miller to end the threat.
Andrea Coburn went the distance for ISU in the loss, throwing six innings and allowing two earned runs and just four hits.
NOTES: The complete game was the first of the year for ISU ... it also marked the first game that Heather Dixon did not get a base hit ... Christine Shollenberger became the third player in as many games to bat cleanup.
