Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
North Dakota
Wildcats split Big Sky doubleheader with Hawks
4/23/2016 12:30:00 AM | Softball
GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The Wildcats bounced back quickly.
After dropping a disappointing 5-3 decision in its series opener with North Dakota, the Weber State University softball team rallied to top the Fighting Hawks 9-2 in the second game of Friday's Big Sky Conference doubleheader at Apollo Sports Complex.
Weber State improved to 10-3 in Big Sky play and 29-15 overall, closing within a half-game of league-leading Sacramento State (11-3 Big Sky), which dropped both games of its Friday doubleheader with Idaho State in Pocatello, Idaho.
The Wildcats and Fighting Hawks (4-8 Big Sky, 16-29 overall) will wrap up their series at 10 a.m. MT on Saturday.
Junior outfielders Carley White and Mackenzi Corta each went 4-for-6, including identical 3-for-4 performances in the second game. Junior outfielder Sara Hingsberger hit her team-leading ninth home run in the second game, while senior shortstop Aubrey Whitmer had a solo home run in the first game and an RBI single and RBI double in the second game.
North Dakota did nearly all of its offensive damage in its first four batters, with three of its four hits – including a grand slam – coming sequentially to star the bottom of the first inning.
Weber State brought two of the runs back in the second, with Corta's RBI double making it 4-1 and an RBI single down the right field line by sophomore second baseman McKinley Brinkerhoff.
Whitmer hit a solo shot in the top of the sixth to make it 4-3, but the rally fell just short, and the Hawks grabbed a one-out run in the bottom of the inning for the final score.
After three scoreless innings to start the second game, the Wildcat bats started coming alive in fourth when Hingsberger hit a solo home run to put Weber State in front 1-0.
Whitmer's RBI single up the middle in the fifth made it 2-0, and the Wildcats seized control of the game in the sixth, with Hingsberger stealing home to make it 3-0, followed by RBI doubles from senior first baseman Krystin Kubo and White to make it 5-0.
North Dakota hit a two-run homer to make it 5-2, but Weber State pounded out four hits, with Brinkerhoff and Whitmer hitting back-to-back doubles to lead off, to pull away.
Junior right-hander Baylee Reeves picked up the win in the circle, improving to 6-4 this season, and lowering her ERA to a Big Sky-best 2.59.
