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Show Sports WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 15 2012 Softball season begins Playin' WSU wins two games in tourney By Corie Holmes asst. sports editor I The Signpost PHOTO BY CORIE HOLMES I THE SIGNPOST Weber State University's Morgan Allaband delivers a pitch during a game last year. The Wildcats opened up their season over the weekend, winning two games in a tournament hosted by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. WSU defeated UNLV and Kent State University. The Signpost columnist Weber State University's softball team started off its season in Las Vegas, Nev., in the Sportco Kickoff Classic Tournament. WSU went 2-3 on the weekend, beating Kent State University and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. "We came out and played really well the first two games," said Head Coach Tina Johnson. "All three things worked really well together: pitching, hitting and defense. Even if we got a little behind in those games, the team did not give up. We just kept working everything out on that first day." Shortstop Symbree Minniear agreed the weekend went very well for the Wildcats. "Overall we had a good weekend," Minniear said. "We were able to take the good things from the weekend and grow on those and take the things we need to improve on and focus on those in practice, so we are ready for the upcoming weekend." The game against KSU went into extra innings. Sarah Clark started on the mound for the Wildcats and had eight strikeouts. London Clarke was on base and scored off a squeeze play by Erika James. James got a home As I have mentioned before, I am a huge softball player and fan. I was beyond excited last weekend because I knew that Weber State University softball had its first games of the season. WSU softball is embarking on its third season as a sanctioned NCAA sport. It's a young program and still growing and getting better. In recent years (the two that the team has been around), the Wildcats have not been the most successful in bringing in wins. In their first season, they won two games out of 50. In the second season, they had a few more wins, but not nearly enough. It went 12-38. So far this year, the team has already won more games than it did in the first season. As of right now, it is 2-3 on the season. The team has the potential to perform well this year. This last weekend, the team played No. 5 in the nation, the University of Oklahoma. WSU held the Sooners for a better part of the game. WSU even led 2-1 at one point. WSU also beat the University of Nevada, Las See Softball page 7 See Purple page 7 By Hector Valencia sports reporter I The Signpost ac un-retires Former WSU head coach Ron McBride has been hired as offensive coordinator for the Utah Blaze, which plays i the Arena Footall League. McBride retired ihree months ago t the end of WSU's season. He had been at WSU for seven ears. He led the 'Cats to two FCS playoff appearances and saw WSU win the Big Sky Conference championship for the first time in school his0 pry. am Corie Holmes • Wildcats fall to USU in final game of season k Cin A look at WSU's softball team Season ends with loss Li. cie on Purple McBride brings 46 years of coaching experience to the Blaze. A The Weber State University hockey club team wrapped up its season over the weekend when it lost to Utah State University 9-5 at the Weber County Ice Sheet. The Wildcats went into the game without Head Coach Steve Soto, who was unable to be at the game. Soto left Reid Meyer in charge of the coaching for this game. Meyer used to play for the team last year. Despite the loss, Meyer said he felt the team had some successes on the ice. "I thought we did some things really well tonight," Meyer said. "We played well as a team." Five minutes after the start of the first period, USU scored its first goal to take the lead. Meyer said the team needs to work on getting the puck into its opponent's zone and also needs to get its fast breaks in tune. He said that some members of the team played for themselves and chose not to pick an open man. With three minutes of the first period remaining, junior Chris Roberts scored a goal to tie the game for the Wildcats. WSU wasn't able to hang on to the momentum, and at the start of the second period, USU scored three goals back to back to put the game 4-1. Meyer said USU is one of the better teams that the Wildcats have played this year, but said he feels the team is capable of beating the Aggies in the future if it can play a full game without making too many mistakes. "USU is always a good team," Meyer said. "I think if we put together 60 minutes of good hockey, we can definitely win games against them." Later in the second period, freshman Tommy Champi scored three con- SOURCE: TAYLOR ELLIS Weber State University's Braxton Green takes the puck down the ice during a game earlier this season. The Wildcats dropped their final game of the season to Utah State University over the weekend, losing 9-5. secutive goals for the Wildcats to tie the game. Champi said that despite the loss, he felt WSU played well. "I felt that tonight was a great game," Champi said. "But in the end, we were beat by a better team." He said WSU stayed in the game with a nationally ranked team, and that the team never gave up. Two minutes before the period ended, USU scored its fifth goal to take control of the game. "I thought we gelled as a group and kept our heads in the game," Champi said. Starting the third period, USU scored its sixth to put the game out of reach for the Wildcats. Champi was also responsible for the only WSU goal in the third period. He scored the fifth goal to put the Wildcats close to USU in the scoreboard. See Hockey page 7 |