Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
St. Mary's, Calif
Wildcats earn split on first day in Colorado
3/2/2012 11:41:00 PM | Softball
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - The Weber State University softball team earned a two-game split on the opening day of the Colorado State Classic, downing Northern Iowa 12-10 before falling 11-2 in five to St. Mary's, Calif.
In the opening game, the Wildcats pounded out a season high-tying 15 hits, with senior Kami Holley and freshman Janel Cunningham each going 3-for-3 at the plate. Holley had four RBIs in the contest, including three on a fourth-inning home run. Holley also had a run-scoring double, as Weber State won the see-saw battle with 10 runs over the final three innings.
Cunningham had two RBIs, as did senior Lyndsey Minnich, who hit her team-best ninth home run of the season. Seniors Symbree Minniear and Erika Dixon each had doubles against the Panthers (7-4).
Freshman Cydnee Clarke, playing in the designated hitter role, also had a strong game at the plate as she went 3-for-4 for the Wildcats.
Weber State went up 2-1 in the third inning, but fell behind 6-2 after Northern Iowa scored five runs in the top of the fourth. The Wildcats rallied back with six runs on the bottom half of the inning to take an 8-6 lead. The Panthers scored three in the top of the fifth to make it 9-8, with Weber State plating one run to make it 9-9 after five.
The Wildcats brought in three in the sixth to go ahead 12-9, and then held the Panthers to just one run in the seventh to close it out.
Senior Sarah Clark picked up the win, improving to 4-4 as she struck out four in six innings of work.
In the second game, the Wildcats went ahead of the Gaels, a member of the Pacific Coast Softball Conference's Coastal Division, 2-0 in top of the second, but St. Mary's three in the bottom half of the inning and then three in the third to make it 6-2.
The Gaels (5-5) ended the game on run rule with a walk-off grand slam in the fifth.
Weber State (5-10) managed just three hits against St. Mary's, with one of those coming on Clark's two-run homer in second inning. Brooke Silva and London Clarke each had singles for the Wildcats.
Weber State remains at the Colorado State Classic on Saturday, facing the Gaels for a second time at 9 a.m. and then a rematch with the Panthers on tap at 11:15 a.m.
The Wildcats will wrap up the tournament on Sunday against host Colorado State.
