Show B2 — The Herald Journal Logan Utah Sunday April 18 2004 USU drops ninth straight By Thomas Manning sports writer The Aggie' softball team was looke losing ing to snap a streak on Saturday at Johnson Field against a powerful Cal Slate North-ridg- e seven-gam- team Before the first pilch was tossed Utah State was holding slmng at fourth place in the Big West Conference one game ahead of the tylata- - dors But that was all ahout to change The weather was dark and dreary and the two games played SOFTBALL turned out to be ” every bit as melancholy for ' Aggie fans as Utah State dropped below 500 in league m play losing to the Matadors 7-- 0 and 15-- 2 in a Saturday twlnbill USU falls to 5 in the Big West and 7-overall while Cal State Northridge improved to 4-- 4 ' and 23-- 1 4 “We had a tough day today" Utah Slate head coach Debbie Bilbao said “And that's part of having a young team It's just like a kid — when they're youpg they're going to make UTAH STATE 3-- " mistakes" Utah State's inconsistency woes continued on Saturday which may to an extent be attributed to the Aggies' youth This 2004 team consists of 14 underclassman arid only three seniors But after the youngsters proyed Eli LuceraHerald Journal Cal State Northridge's Laura Hovestreydt right steals second they were capable of by sweeping Cal State Fullerton and going 0 in conference play the bar was immediately raised Whether or not the bar was hoisted a hit prematurely remains to be seen And now after ing an impressive 22 runs to the Aggies unimpressive two inns “They’re a good hitting team but I think we’ve faced much better hitting teams” Bilbao said --As of late the Aggies seem to be lacking precisely what got them off to a 343 start in the Big West — an ability to hit the ball with runners in scoring position Utah State stranded 14 baserunners Saturday 3-- dropping nine consecutive games ' frustration may be setting in once again in Logan Utah State was outhit on Saturday with the Matadors produc - 28-to- 1 -l base ahead of the tag of Utah State shortstop Quela Henderson on Saturday Along with the nine losses Utah State has watched all of its mainstay hitters drop below 300 at the plate And this is a club Bilbao has described as a good hitting team Utah Stale's pitching has struggled of late as well Leslie Higley and Jessica Garnett both posted losses on Saturday and the Ags ace closer Jill Bruins gave up eight hits in 2 13 innings “1 the Stars in Press David Aebischer accomplished something Patrick Roy had ble with his last few seasons: closing rail a playoff series Aebischer stopped 21 shots and Peter Forsbeig had a goal and two assists helping the Colorado Avalanche finish off the Dallas Stars with a 1 victory on Saturday at Denver Colorado had lost five straight potential clinching games including three d consecutive in a loss to Minnesota last year Roy was in goal for each one allowing at least three goals three times Aebischer made sure the Avalanche didn’t give the Stars any chances in his first playoff series as Roy's replacement He stopped 62 of 65 shots the final two games after giving up four gtials in Game Dallas’ only win 4- and had a 3 ' 1 83 goalsagainst average “We have been talking about his confidence and poise all year and that is the way to describe:' him’’ Avalanche coach Tony ' Granatosaid “He has been like that all year He backed it up and 5-- : first-roun- - ' : ' played extremely solid and consistent and very confidently’’ ' He certainly had plenty of help Forsberg scored in the second ' 5 HILTON HEAD ISLAND period and had two assists in the third to extend his playoff point streak to games Milan HejduR scored for the third straight game after ending the season on a 3- streak game goal-leRookie Marek Svatos had three assists to give him six points in the series after playing ' n just four " games vm Joe Sakic scored his fourth goal of the series into an A SC (AP) — Ted Purdy sat down to discuss his strong play then dropped the clip-o- n microphone with a thud “I’m new at this ’’he said He’s also in position for his first PGA Tour vic65 Saturday to take a tory after shooting a ' lead over Heath Slocum into the final round of the MCI Heritage Purdy a winner last year on the Nationwide Tour expects to be able to finish things off Sunday 1 1 1 ss four-stro- ke regular-seaso- mi APphoto empty net with 4:56 left and Steve Konowalchuk had his third of the scries midway through the third period Even grinding forward Darby Hendrickson got into the act after managing just two goals during the regular season “The mentality of trying to maintain a killer instinct you need to have that in the playoffs” Avalanche forward Dan Hinotc said “We felt we did that” Flyers 3 Devils 1 Danny Markov scored with 5:23 left and Philadelphia eliminated the Stanley Gup champion New Jersey Devils in Game 5 at Philadelphia! Alexei Zhamnov also scored for Philadelphia which advances to the second round for the second straight year Sami Kaponen added an empty-net goal in the final seconds : good time at MCI Heritage Stanley Cup champs exit By The Associated three-gam- would have preferred a better Avs finish pff pitching performance but again that’s part of being young” Bilbao said Utah State is looking to right its slow sinking ship today at noon as e the Aggies conclude their series with Cal State Northridge “I expect them to bounce back” Bilbao said “We’re still right in the heat of conference and we’re cer- tainly not writing ourselves off” Colorado Avalanche left winger Steve konowalchuk front puts a shot past Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco for a goal in the second period Scott Niedermayer scored the only goal for New Jersey which won three championships the pre- vious nine years ' Robert Esche starting his first playoff series had 31 saves jn ' another solid effort outplaying Martin Brodeur — who stopped 37 shots Esche allowed nine goals in the series on 155 shots Red Wings 2 Predators 0 Ray Whitney and Steve Yzer- man scored goals 30 seconds apart in the opening two minutes and series Detroit won its against Nashville with a Game '6 : victory at Nashville Tenii Robert Lang had two assists and Curtis Joseph stopped 5 shots to earn his 16th career postseason shutout and first with Detroit : first-rou- : 8-- 0 : in potential clinching games dating to the 1998 Stanley Cup finals They finished off the Western Conseries in style ference first-rouby leading for 1 15: 15 of the final 120 minutes to end Nashville's first foray into the playoffs Canadiens 5 Bruins 2 At Montreal Darien Langdon scored for the first time in pva two years and Saku Koivu netted the goal iri the second period leading Montreal over Boston! ' ' The Red Wings improved to go-ahe- ad nd That tied the playoff series 3 fracing a deciding Game 7 on Monday in Boston ' Jose Theodore made 22 saves and Yanic Perreault Alex?' Kovalev and Jap Bulis also ? scored fra Montreal: first-rou- nd 3-- 1 ' “I’ve had many people tell me I’ve got a great swing and my putting stroke is great and everything else” said Purdy 30 “But until you believe it for yourself you’re not worth a damn And I haven’t been wrath a damn until I think this week” Purdy seized control with five birdies on the front nine and continued his stellar play moving to Purdy who won the First Tee Arkansas Classic in a playoff last year qualified for the PGA Tour by finishing 1 5th on the Nationwide mbriey list ' Purdy’s play was a surprise considering he missed the cut in his last two tournaments and had just one score in the 60s in 12 rounds before this" week His best finish in a PGA Tour event was a! tie fra 1 1th in the 2000 Tucson Open where his $72000 in earnings surpassed the $46600 he made in 27 PGA Tour events the previous year He said he took a lesson from his teacher for-rner LPGA pro Pam Barnett at the Moon Valley Country Club in Arizona abput hitting targets There’s almost nabetter course to put that into ? practice than Harbour Town Golf Links Its small See PURbY on B4 Two-anprocess I call ii my therjy” ? could have been Geary began the 5K at the rear of years ago dead It doesn’t matter black the pack jogged a little down the : whiter male female if an organ fits track on die Utah State campus and Continued from B1 and saves somebody’s life it’s a '!:' finished the distance in about an ' Organizers had hoped to get 75 ' ' great gift” hour ? runners Saturday There were (82 Just ask Bradley Cole or Lisa “I never would have been able to that took part ? ' Or any of the people that know do that before (the transplant)" ? “We’ve been doing a (donor Mandee Geary who many said was ' Geary said “I didn't do anything the inspiration behind the Second awareness) run iq Salt Lake City' for before because I was too sick and seven years and just got it up to had a : tired " Chaiice 5K The 21 year-old I v about 400 (participants)” said Alex ? heart transplant two years ago and ? ? Strauss she has received a Like McDonald from Intermountain walked the 5K course with the second chance Donor recipients are : Donor Services “Ifs amazing they donor’s mother (Amy Johnson) and well aware of the importance of an almost got 200 in the first year? sister (Lyndsey Case) who came : ' !" like Saturday:' 'event ” Kudos to Cache Valley from Colorado to participate '' “It is so important because I don’t V Natalie Burtenshaw from the “She has my sister’s heart" Case I would be here today without feel Cache Valley Volunteer Center said “It was an amazing thing to be the decision pf Lyndsey and Amy to able to walk with her and know that helped coordinate the event The v? ” Utah' State student said Cache Valley because of us she was able to do this donate Nicole’s heart Geary said ? someone' “I’m thankful that just has the reputation of “great support walk” V ' was to : donate willing for organ donations" Organs” Case and Johnson lost their sister - Strauss said ? It certainly showed Saturday ? and daughter Nicole in a tragic J A ' So am I “To see this many people come d accident But the l5-- y lives v ' I’m proud to have a “DONOR” and do it is awesome" Strauss said on iri three people sticker on my driver's license It was “It really didn’t hit me until a year “Hopefully it will help people? because organ donation is ah amaZ- after the accident when I was getting easy and painless Eli EucaroHeraJd Journal It can change a life or To become a registered organ involved in donor awareness how ing thing walk saved” Johnson life donor 5k Mandae Second Chance Nicole left the savea Case and Geary many people together iq go to wwwyesutahorg or '!: Lyndsey said “It’s been a great healing “I ran this with my It flun Saturday morning Geary received the heart of the sister of Case wwwyesidahoorg was just a blast to be here d- L tM ' - ! " -- : - : : ! ! X " ear-ol- il - 'I-- - ! : : v': ! : ' |