Feb. 7, 2009
Box Score
St. George, UT --- Kandis Clesson pitched another great game, but Darleen Fernandez hit a two-run home run for a 3-2 lead in the third inning, and pitcher Kristina Brooks made it stand up, striking out 13 Idaho State batters as the Southern Utah Thunderbirds nipped the Bengals 3-2, keeping ISU winless through their first three games.
The Bengals, who have now lost by three, two, and one, saw a great pitching performance by Kandis Clesson, who allowed just four hits in the game, but two of them were by Fernandez, who drove in all three T-Bird runs in the contest. In the bottom of the first, Fernandez hit a one-out ground rule double to score Norian James with the first run of the game.
Idaho State answered when Whitney Chaffe was hit by a pitch with one out in the third inning, and then Megan Miller followed that with a two-run home run, ISU's third bomb in as many games, giving the Bengals a 2-1 lead. However, Fernandez came up with one out and one on in the third inning and she turned on a Clesson offering for a two-run homer to left, the first allowed by ISU pitching this season, giving SUU a 3-2 lead, and then Brooks would make that stand.
Brooks struck out at least one Bengal in every inning, 13 in all, including the side in the first and the seventh. ISU's best shot to tie came in the sixth. With one out, pinch hitter Casey Plowman was hit by a pitch, and then Merissa Jannsen singled to put runners on first and second with one out. However, Brooks coaxed Brittany Olsin into a pop out, and then struck out freshman Kelsey Smith to end the threat.
Clesson allowed just four hits and three earned runs in the game, walking three but striking out five. Brooks allowed just two runs and three hits, walking one and striking out her 13. Idaho State plays Utah Valley to finish up Saturday's action.
NOTES: Jessica Baca singled as well, giving her a hit in all three games, and she is batting .400 for the year ... Clesson's ERA rose slightly to 3.20 ... ISU committed three errors, two by Baca and one by Smith after committing just one over the first two games ... Plowman's pinch hitting appearance was her first career game played ... ISU has struck out 24 times and walked just twice in three games ... ISU has been hit by pitched more times this season (3) then drawn walks (2) ... opponents are batting just .214 against Clesson.
