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Show S po rts WEDNESDAY MARCH 28 2012 WSU struggles in Boise tourney Wildcats lose to Boise State and New Mexico twice By Corie Holmes sports editor I The Signpost Success slipped out of the Weber State University softball team's grasp in the SpringHill Suites Invitational last weekend. The Wildcats' batting came out weak and left them with a 1-4 record on the weekend, bumping their overall record to 10-17. "We didn't have our best showing of how well we can hit," said Lyndsey Minnich. "Cumulatively, we are not hitting as well as a team as we usually do." In the first game of the tournament, the team started out strong for the first four innings. Trailing 4-0 in the top of the third inning, the Wildcats hit three consecutive home runs. Symbree Minniear, Minnich and Janel Cunnigham each sent one soaring over the fence. In the bottom of the fifth, WSU allowed seven runs to cross the plate, and the University of New Mexico took a commanding 13-5 lead. Minnich hit a solo home run in the third inning to become WSU's career home-run leader. Minnich also tied the singleseason home-run record of 10. Minnich was the only Wildcat to record multiple hits, finishing 2-3. Senior captain Erika Dixon stole her 11th base this season. On Saturday, the Wildcats split the day, winning the first game and losing the second game. In the first game, Sarah Clark earned her eighth win this season on the mound. The first batter Clark faced hit a home run. She then held the University of Texas-San Antonio scoreless the rest of the game with six strikeouts. WSU won 2-1. In the second game Saturday against Boise State University, freshman pitcher Morgan Allaband kept a shutout until the sixth inning, when two Broncos hit back-to-back solo home runs to end the game with a score of 2-1. On Sunday, the team couldn't catch a break, as it lost to both UNM and BSU again. During the second round against UNM, the Wildcats fell 12-1 in six quick innings. WSU was tied at ones until the fifth inning. After that, UNM accumulated six hits and capitalized on two WSU errors. It finished the game with a 7-2 score. "Defense wasn't our best," Clark said. "We played well enough to stay in games, but when we got behind, we would fall apart and let them get the jump on us." BSU got an early lead in the second and final game, 5-0 in the second inning. Falling behind 7-0 after four innings, WSU lost 7-2. "At the beginning of the season, we were so excited to get out there and play," Minnich PHOTO BY CORIE HOLMES I THE SIGNPOST Weber State University's Kelsie Vallies pitches the ball in a game against Dixie State College. WSU played in the SpringHill Suites Invitational in Boise, Idaho, last weekend. WSU lost twice to Boise State University and the UniSee Softball page 7 versity of New Mexico. WSU beat the University of Texas-San Antonio 2-1. The Wildcats' record is now 10-17. YMCA preps for college WSU athletics dept. encourages children to get a college education By Michael Grennell sports reporter I The Signpost On Monday afternoon, a YMCA group from Dee Elementary School visited the Dee Events Center as part of the I'm Going to College program. One of the chaperons for the group, Jill Wood, explained that the purpose of the program is to get the children excited about going to college. She said the purpose of the trip to the Dee Events Center was for the children to experience what it was like for students at college. "We try to get them excited about higher education," Wood said. "A lot of these kids are first generation (students); they wouldn't think of (going to college) as something to do, and we're trying to help them have that vision." Upon arriving, the children were greeted by Eric Duft, Weber State University men's basketball associate head coach, along with several members of the basketball team. After Duft and the players introduced themselves, Duft, center James Hajek and forward Byron Fulton stayed to talk with half of the See YMCA page 7 PHOTO BY CORIE HOLMES I THE SIGNPOST Weber State University's Cale Thurgood hits a home run in the first game against the University of Utah Saturday. WSU won 10-7, 7-2 and16-4 in a three-game series. Wildcats dominate Utes By Corie Holmes sports editor I The Signpost Weber State University's club baseball team picked up a few solid wins against the University of Utah in its first conference game over the weekend with scores of 10-7, 7-2 and 16-4. "Everyone played really good," said Scooter Cisneros, team co-captain and co-president. "Our pitchers had a lot of strikeouts, hitters hit, and defense was sharp for the most part. It feels good to start conference play off with a win." On Saturday, the Wildcats defeated the Utes in a doubleheader. In the first game, the 'Cats dug themselves into a hole early in the first inning, getting down by six runs. "Slow and steady wins the race" rang true for the Wildcats as they came from behind to get a 10-7 win. "We did good at battling back today," said Anthony Rojas. "We got down at first and came back in both games." Cale Thurgood's tworun home runs tied the game, while Chans Porter's two-run RBI in the top of the seventh inning secured the win. WSU's Jake Messerly started on the mound and had 10 strikeouts. "We hit the ball and put it in play more today than we usually do," Rojas said. WSU kept up its energy in the second game and jumped on and maintained an early lead. Rojas started on the mound and had six strikeouts. Mike Kilts also contributed a two-run home run in the second game and had two home runs and two doubles for the weekend. Cisneros went 6-10 on the weekend, getting on base eight times and hitting in five runs. Co-captain and co-presSee Baseball page 7 7 IL -4- 74-h, SOURCE: JILL WOOD Weber State University's assistant basketball coach, Eric Duft, talks to a group from the YMCA. |