Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Cleveland State
New Era of Wildcat Softball Opens with Two Losses
2/20/2010 5:00:00 AM | Softball
LAS CRUCES, NM -- Softball made its official return to Weber State on Friday as the Wildcats opened up the 2010 season at the Troy Cox Classic, hosted by New Mexico State University. The Wildcats suffered an 11-6 loss to Cleveland State in their first game of the day, and closed the day with a 13-3 loss to the host-Aggies.
The Wildcats ran into some trouble just to get to the tournament after suffering a series of travel issues. First, the team's flight from Salt Lake City was delayed after a flight was forced to make an emergency landing at the airport after receiving a bomb threat. Then they suffered a delay due to mechanical issues and when they finally arrived at their connecting airport in Denver, they had missed the final flight to New Mexico for the day.
Tournament officials made scheduling adjustments to give Weber State time to arrive and saving the 'Cats from a forfeit in their first game since 1983.
In the opener, Britinie Hardine singled to left with two outs in the top of the first for the first hit of the new era of Weber State softball, but the first run would wait as she was stranded.
In the bottom of the inning, Cleveland State rudely met the Wildcats with a seven-run first inning, scoring on four hits. The Wildcats hurt themselves with a pair of errors in the inning.
WSU rebounded with a three-spot in the top of the second. Aubri Chiquete got things going with a leadoff single through the left side and advanced to second on a walk by Brandi Christopher. Marqi Gray then singled to left, driving in Chiquete for the new program's first run.
London Clarke reached on a bunt single behind Gray to load the bases, and Linnea Ketcher's single to center scored a pair.
The Wildcats got another run in the third as Gray drove in Chiquete for the second-straight inning, but Cleveland State answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 9-4 lead. The Vikings put up another two runs in the sixth to once again lead by seven runs.
Weber State finished off its scoring in the seventh. Heather Jackson led off the inning with a home run to left for the first run of the inning. The final run came as Ariel Whiteman and Aubri Chiquete put together back-to-back doubles.
Against New Mexico State, the Wildcats got all three of their runs in the opening inning to tie the game after the Aggies scored three in the top of the frame.
Genasee Aman followed a single by Jackson with a bunt single to give WSU two on with no outs. After Hardine went down swinging for the first out, Whiteman smashed a three-run homer to clear the bases.
New Mexico State posted another six runs in the second inning and followed with two in the third and one each in the fourth and fifth to close out the game.
The Wildcats will get right back to business on Saturday as they will face St. Mary's and nationally-ranked Tennessee. WSU will close out its inaugural weekend of action on Sunday with a single game against Bradley.
