Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Sacramento State
Wildcats win epic 15-inning game, earns split
4/13/2013 10:33:00 PM | Softball
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Weber State University softball team put the finishing touches on an epic 15 inning victory, earning a de facto split with Sacramento State on Saturday afternoon at Shea Stadium.
The Wildcats recorded the 6-4 victory by closing down the Hornets' comeback attempt in the bottom of the 15th inning of a game that started at 4:15 p.m. on Friday before it was eventually suspended due to darkness with Weber State ahead 6-3 after the conclusion of the top half of the inning.
The game ultimately lasted four hours, 39 minutes, and was the second 15-inning game in Weber State history, with the last occurring on April 9, 1983 with the Wildcats defeating Iowa State 3-2. The longest game in WSU history was a 2-1 loss to Idaho State on April 1, 1983 that lasted 18 innings.
It's the longest game in the Big Sky this season, easily topping the previous high of 12 innings.
Junior right-handed Kylee Colvin made the start for the Wildcats and went 11 innings, throwing 165 pitches, and scattering 11 hits, while sophomore right-hander Morgan Allaband earned the win on the mound in relief, allowing five hits and one unearned run in four innings for the Purple and White.
After the Wildcats and Hornets battled fiercely for nine consecutive innings before Weber State finally broke through in the top of the 15th.
Junior shortstop Brooke Silva hit a single to left field, and then advanced to second base on a throwing error by the Hornets' left fielder. Sophomore designated player Stephanie Mathias had a sacrifice bunt to move Silva to third base, bringing up freshman second baseman Brooke Ford, who reached on a fielder's choice and scored Silva as the Hornet's second baseman tried to throw home to get the out.
After freshman right fielder Dusti Blair reached on a fielder's choice, sophomore catcher Janel Cunningham smashed an RBI double to left field that scored Blair, making it 5-3. Freshman first baseman Krystin Kubo singled to the Sacramento State shortstop to move Cunningham to third base, and then senior center fielder London Clarke hit an RBI single to left field to score Cunningham and give the Wildcats a three-run cushion before the Hornets got the final out and the game was suspended.
Needing just three outs to wrap up the win on Saturday morning, the Wildcats got two outs sandwiched around a walk that eventually scored to make it 6-4, but Clarke caught a fly ball at center field to wrap up the game.
Weber State trailed 3-1 in the fifth inning, but evened the game up after freshman left fielder Rudi Barrios singled up the middle to score freshman third baseman Alyson Kulp – who had reached on a double earlier in the inning. Silva singled up the middle on the next at-bat to score Barrios and level the game at 3-3.
Mathias had an RBI single in the fourth inning that scored Barrios from third base.
In all, Weber State recored 12 hits, including three doubles.
In Saturday's originally scheduled game, Sacramento State held the Wildcats to just two hits, singles by Ford and Cunningham, in earning a 7-0 victory.
Weber State will return home next weekend for its final three home games of the seasons. The Wildcats will face in-state rival Southern Utah in a doubleheader on Friday, beginning at 2 p.m., and then face the Thunderbirds in the series' finale at Noon on Saturday. Saturday's game will be Senior Day, with the team's lone senior – center fielder London Clarke – set to be honored at the game.
