The Utah women’s softball team wrapped up a rocky conference season May 9 with a 5-2 loss to the New Mexico Lobos.
The Lobos started out strong, scoring two quick runs in the top of the first, while the Utes went scoreless until the fifth inning when designated hitter Jasey Jensen hit a home run. The round-tripper also sent in junior center fielder Kara Foster, who was walked to first by Lobo pitcher Danielle Castro.
Jensen’s home run tied the game 2-2, but the Lobos took the lead after scoring three runs in the top of the seventh. After a double by Jessica Garcia and a single by Tianna George, Ashley Smuda hit two Lobos with stray pitches and walked two others, walking in three runs and giving New Mexico a 5-2 lead.
The bottom of the seventh inning was quick with Utah at bat, and a hard drive to center field by senior Staci Hemingway ended the game.
The Utes were picked to finish fourth in the conference, but came in fifth with an overall record of 5-10. The team started out the conference season 0-4, losing to New Mexico, Colorado State, and twice to BYU, making it difficult to get out of the slump. The Utes were struggling to move up in the conference standings, and were in desperate need of a win to get them back in the running.
Things started to look up when Foster tied the Utes’ all-time home run record April 16, helping to beat UNLV 9-7. The win boosted Utah’s morale, and the Utes finished their last nine conference matchups with four wins, beating San Diego State, Colorado State, New Mexico and UNLV again.
“We were overthinking a lot of things about our game,” Foster said of the team’s rough start. “Our coaches did a great job at getting us back to the basics, and from there we just kept on working.”
For Foster and most of the team, the end of the game marked the beginning of off-season workouts and training. But for five Utah seniors, the end of the game meant the end of their collegiate softball careers.
Seniors Angie Boardman, Sharee Fonoti, Hemingway, Andrea Hoffman and Bonnie Muir were honored on the field after the game and thanked for the impact they had individually on the team and the season’s success.
“You can’t replace a lot of what we’re losing right now,” said head coach Amy Hogue.
Hemingway was recently named to the ESPN The Magazine All-Academic District VIII team, and Boardman was selected to the 2009 All-MWC team, along with Foster. Hemingway, Boardman and Fonoti were all voted captains this season by their teammates. With five key players on the way out, the rest of the team will be spending the offseason getting to know new teammates and concentrating on the basics of the game to improve their results next season.
“We’re bringing in some more infielders and our pitchers are working on drop balls,” Hogue said. “That’s the name of the game that we play8212;pitching and defense.”
Although the team’s final ranking was lower than expected, Hemingway said there are no regrets for the five seniors’ last games.
“Even though our season didn’t turn out record-wise what we wanted it to, the bond that you share with your teammates is something that will never be forgotten,” Hemingway said. “The record will.”
Tyler Cobb/The Daily Utah ChronicleUtah infielder Staci Hemingway and four other seniors were honored during the last game, against New Mexico, for the impact they had on the team during their time at Utah. Hemingway has been named to the ESPN The Magazine All Academic District VIII team.