After two wins over UVSC last week, the Utes (12-19) were finally on the verge of a positive trend after a 5-0 win at San Diego State on Saturday. They promptly lost three straight against the Aztecs and UNLV to spawn a less impressive streak.
The Rebels (28-14) improved to 5-2 in the MWC with a sweep in Las Vegas on Sunday. They demolished the Utes 10-0 in the first game, holding them to three hits in five innings of play. Jacque Kerrigan got the win, striking out four and walking only one. Ute hurler Brianna Gourdin (8-8) allowed 11 hits and four walks in the loss, and the Utes committed five errors in the field.
The U looked sharper in the nightcap, dropping a close 4-3 contest to the Rebels. UNLV allowed the Utes to reduce a four-run lead to a single run with a Devina Quintero’s three-run blast in the fifth. With runners on second and third with two outs, Kerrigan came out for an encore performance in relief and ended the threat. Lindsie Nielsen fell to 4-10, despite conceding no walks and only six hits.
Nielsen had some tough luck against San Diego State as well on Saturday. Yielding only three hits, Nielsen got the loss in a 1-0 pitching duel with the Aztec’s Celena Velasquez, who pitched a 3-hitter of her own. Gourdin tossed yet another three-hitter in the weekend’s opening victory against SDSU. Bryanne Durrence plated three RBI on two singles, as the Ute bats showed glimpses of life.
The Utes take on Utah State at Ute Softball Field on Wednesday at 3 p.m., before playing host to Colorado State and New Mexico in consecutive doubleheaders this Saturday and Sunday.