The U softball team’s streak was halted Wednesday afternoon in Cedar City as the U “gave away” a 5-4 decision in extra innings to Southern Utah, U coach Mona Stevens said.
The loss snapped Utah’s seven-game winning streak as the Utes head into a big battle this weekend with in-state nemesis and Mountain West Conference foe BYU.
Though the Utes held a 4-0 advantage with two and a half innings remaining, the U suffered a meltdown.
“We gave it away,” Stevens said. “We got tentative. We stopped being aggressive and played too comfortable and laid back.
“The team didn’t play how we’ve been playing,” she said.
The loss was the first for the Utes since an April 10th loss to the same Thunderbird team in the first game of a double-header.
With the loss, the U fell to 23-32 overall while SUU improved to 22-25.
The Utes outplayed the T’birds and had the game well in hand on numerous occasions.
Utah held a 4-0 advantage, but SUU tied things up with four runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Neither team scored over the next three innings, so the game went overtime.
In extra innings, the Utes fell on more bad luck. With the bases juiced, a liner from Ute Kelsie Lewis was caught by SUU’s Lacee LePrey, and the Utes were doubled up.
In the bottom half of the inning, Heather Bowlin came in to relieve starter Jennifer Pursell. After forcing one out, Pursell gave up the game-winning hit.
Pursell hurled 7 innings for Utah, giving up 5 hits. Only 2 of the five runs Pursell allowed were earned.
On the offensive, Utah outhit SUU 11-6. Lyndsey Trevis went 3-4 with 2 doubles and 2 runs. Second baseman Michele Larsen went 2-2 with a triple and 1 run scored.
Prior to the game, U pitcher Pursell was named MWC Pitcher of the Week. Pursell went 3-0 last week in two complete games. She struck out 12 batters and earned a 1.47 earned run average.
Against Cal-State Northridge, Pursell threw a one-hit shutout, striking out four batters. In game two against UNLV, she struck out 7 batters in 11 innings, as the Utes came back to down the Rebels 6-5.