Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Utah State
Wildcats show off firepower in Sunday sweep
3/9/2015 3:31:00 AM | Softball
BOISE, Idaho – Like a fiery Sunday sermon, the Wildcat bats brought the heat during the final day of the SpringHill Suites Invitational.
The Weber State University softball team unleashed a 28-run scoring barrage in 15 innings of work, dropping in-state rival Utah State 9-1 in six innings before capturing a wild 19-10 victory over Boise State by scoring 11 runs during the ninth inning.
“We had a really nice weekend offensively; we scored a lot of runs in a lot of different ways,” Weber State coach Mary Kay Amicone said. “Sunday we also had great pitching as well. (Junior right-hander) Sierra (Whitmer), (freshman right-hander) Bailey (Seek), and (freshman right-hander) Kirtlyn (Bohling) had an outstanding day.
“I loved our focus and energy this weekend.”
Weber State finished its fourth non-conference tournament with a 4-1 mark, sweeping two games from host Boise State, splitting two games with the Aggies, and claiming a win over St. Mary's, Calif., in the tournament opener on Friday.
It was also a terrific homecoming for the Wildcats' two Boise-area natives, with sophomore right fielder Sara Hingsberger and sophomore designated player Mackenzi Corta, both natives of nearby Eagle, Idaho, combining for 11 hits and nine runs during the five games.
“We had tremendous support from our Eagle, Idaho, families,” Amicone said. “Both Sara and Z played really well for their homecoming.”
That was especially true on Sunday when Hingsberger had four hits, four RBI and a home run in the opening game against Utah State, while Corta played as the designated player during the second game and was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, hitting two doubles.
Junior shortstop Aubrey Whitmer and junior third baseman Alyson Kulp, both of whom finished the weekend with eight hits, also continued to pound the ball on Sunday, with Kulp smacking a three-run shot over the fence – her third home run of the weekend – against the Aggies. Aubrey Whitmer had three hits on Sunday, including a walk-off double against Utah State that pushed the Wildcats' lead to the necessary eight runs.
Junior left fielder Rudi Barrios also made a splash, putting an emphatic finish on Weber State's jaw-dropping 11-run powder keg ninth inning against Boise State with a grand slam over the fence at left field.
In all, during five games, Weber State pounded out 51 hits, scored 46 runs, and put 10 shots over the fence over the weekend.
With the University in Spring Break, the Wildcats will depart on Tuesday to prepare for a Wednesday doubleheader with UC Riverside in Riverside, Calif., before moving south to Santee, Calif., to take part in the San Diego Classic II on Friday to Sunday. It will be the five, and final, non-conference tournament of the season for Weber State.
