Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Portland State
Wildcat softball swept by Vikings on Friday
3/30/2013 3:58:00 AM | Softball
OGDEN, Utah – The Weber State University softball team got several strong individual performances during the first day of its key Big Sky Conference series against Portland State.
Unfortunately for the Wildcats, however, they didn't get enough of them.
Junior shortstop Brooke Silva and freshman infielder Alyson Kulp each had three hits on the afternoon, but the Vikings swept the series-opening doubleheader 5-2 and 10-3 on Friday at Wildcat Softball Field.
The two teams will meet on Saturday in the series finale at Noon.
Saturday's game is Weber State's annual Swing for Life game, dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness.
Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game, and Swing for Life, Inc., which is a non-profit organization based in Utah and dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research, will be in attendance.
Saturday's game is also Alumni Day, with all of the program's previous alumni invited to attend and meet this season's team.
In addition to Silva and Kulp's three-hit afternoons, junior infielder Desiree Mejia and freshman outfielder Jazmine Thompson each collected two hits, while senior outfielder London Clarke and freshman first baseman Krystin Kubo each had one.
Portland State (4-1 Big Sky, 11-21 overall) jumped out to 2-0 lead in the first inning of the opening game, but Weber State charged back in the third as Thompson and Kulp each singled to get on base, before a Silva double brought both runners across to tie the game up at 2-2.
It would remain even until the fifth inning, when the Vikings' bats got hot again, scoring three runs to take a 5-2 lead and then held off the Wildcats the rest of the way.
The second game was especially frustrating for the Wildcats, who stranded 11 base runners and committed three errors that accounted for five unearned runs.
The Vikings jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, with Weber State again hitting its stride in the third as Kulp and Silva each singled to get on base, and then scored when Mejia hit a double to right center.
Portland State scored four runs on two hits and two errors during sixth inning to make it 9-2. The Wildcats loaded up the bases in the bottom of the sixth with the Vikings' relief pitcher walking four of five batters, but WSU struck out in its final two at-bats of the inning before it push the runners across.
