Confidence alone can’t win games.
And despite being confident and ready to face rival BYU, the Cougars’ pitching and powerful bats proved to be too much for the Utah softball team to handle as the Utes dropped both games this weekend.
“We got outplayed,” said head coach Amy Hogue. “We got out-hit. (BYU) picked it up better than we did, they hit better than we did. There are a lot of things I wish we’d done better.”
Utah’s biggest struggle throughout the weekend was batting, as it fell back into its dreaded slump, getting just nine hits and scoring two runs in the two games as it lost 11-2 Friday and was thumped 15-0 in five innings Saturday.
Friday’s game saw BYU pitcher Christie Zinanti strike out seven Utah batters with an outside pitch the Utes couldn’t adjust to.
“I think we were too picky,” said right-fielder Angie Boardman, who was one of two Utes to get a solo home run in the game. “We knew what she was throwing and we didn’t adjust soon enough. We just need to be more aggressive at the plate and earlier in the game.”
Freshman Hannah Clements was the only other Ute to score during the weekend.
Although Utah talked about being more aggressive at the plate after the 11-2 loss, there was no change in the batting Saturday afternoon.
BYU’s Paige Affleck struck out four of 18 Utah batters and gave up only three hits and no runs in the shutout.
Part of Utah’s toils at the plate Saturday came from being behind early in the game as BYU jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead in the first inning and was up by eight at the end of the third.
“I think (the Utes’) approach at the plate got a little soft because we had dug too big of hole, so it’s tough to walk in there with confidence,” Hogue said. “I think it’s a whole new ball game when our hitters know it’s a close ball game.”
The Utah pitching staff was unable to slow down the BYU batters, who have scored more than 10 runs in each of their past six games.
Despite having used four different pitchers, none of the Utes were able to get the job done against the Cougars as they gave up 31 hits and 26 runs in two games8212;walking nine batters and only striking out two the entire weekend.
“We struggled throwing strikes again.” Hogue said. “You can’t win if you walk kids8212;period.”
Utah’s normally strong defense also had its fair share of lapses against BYU as the Utes gave up an uncharacteristic four errors in Friday’s game and one in Saturday’s game.
A lot of Utah’s errors came from miscommunications as fielders were running into each other and bases were left uncovered.
“Our defensive game was not on,” said first baseman Staci Hemingway. “Those errors shouldn’t happen and those are the little things that we talk about that we need to take care of because those things turn into big runs. Communicating on fly balls, ground balls, who’s covering what bag, is important because those are big things that turn into base hits that should be outs.”
With the losses, the Utes drop to 0-4 in Mountain West Conference play, putting them in last place as they are the only team without a win in conference.
Utah will look to get its first conference win this weekend as it faces UNLV and San Diego State.
Richard PaysonAshley Smuda backs up teammate Staci Hemingway as she throws to first during Fridays 11-2 loss to BYU. The Utes lost to BYU again on Saturday 15-0.