Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Kent State
Wildcats top Flashes, Rebels in Las Vegas
2/11/2012 4:45:00 AM | Softball
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The Wildcats were anxious to get out of the gym and get on the field.
They showed why on Friday.
The Weber State University softball team kicked off its 2012 season in style, squeezing past Kent State 2-1 in eight innings on Friday afternoon, before thumping UNLV 11-5 in the nightcap and storming out to a 2-0 record at the Sportco Kickoff Classic at the Rebels' Eller Media Stadium.
Against the Golden Flashes, senior right hander Sarah Clark went the distance, allowing just six hits and one run allowed with eight strikeouts on the mound.
After seven scoreless innings, the game went to international tiebreaker rules, placing London Clarke on second base. Clarke advanced to third on a sacrifice by Kelsie Vallies.
Senior center fielder Erika Dixon hit the ball into left field, reaching on a fielder's choice as the Golden Flashes tried unsuccessfully to get Clarke out at home. Dixon advance to second on the throw and then advanced home on a throwing error by the catcher to put the Wildcats up 2-0.
Kent State made it 2-1 after a fielding error by the Wildcats allowed the Flashes to score and reach base, but Clark got a strikeout to end the game and give Weber State the win.
Against the host Rebels, the Wildcats pounded out 15 hits, tying the most in a single game since restarting their softball program in 2010.
Weber State's bats connected early and often, with Clark hitting a three-run shot over the right field fence in the third inning to turn a 1-0 game into a 4-0 advantage. WSU led 6-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, when UNLV brought home four runs and threatened to score again after loading the bases. Clark took over as the Wildcats' third pitcher of the inning, closing down the Rebels' rally after forcing a groundout at first base.
Weber State responded to UNLV's fireworks with another strong inning of their own, bringing in five runs to blow the game open again. Clark doubled to score Dixon, with Brooke Silva's left side single scoring Clark. Senior Symbree Minniear singled to the left side to put two runners on and set the stage for senior Lyndsey Minnich's three-run shot over the left field fence.
UNLV hit back-to-back doubles in the seventh to gain the final run of the game.
Clark finished 2-of-4 at the plate with four RBIs, a double, and a home run, while Minniear went 4-of-4 at the plate with three runs scored and an RBI. Minnich, Silva and Las Vegas-area native Ashley Huddleston each recorded multiple hits.
Junior Kelsie Vallies picked up the win, scattering four hits across 4 1/3 innings with a pair of strikeouts. Clark earned the save, going 2 1/3 innings. She had four strikeouts, including three in the seventh inning.
Weber State returns to action on Saturday morning against CSU Bakersfield, a member of the Pacific Coast Softball Conference's Pacific Division, and then takes on No. 5 Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon.
