OREM, UT – The Marist softball team dropped its second game of the week in Utah on Wednesday as the Red Foxes lost at Utah Valley University by a score of 4-3. The Wolverines defeated the Red Foxes on the strength of a 9-5 advantage in hits with four of the extra-base variety. Senior Christina Lausch (Lancaster, Pa.) led Marist offensively by reaching base safely in all three plate appearances, including a sixth inning home run.
Sophomore pitcher Josi Summers held the Red Foxes under control throughout the majority of the first five innings, as Marist only managed to garner one hit, a leadoff single by Kyrsten Van Natta (Maplewood, N.J.) in the first inning. Four walks over the next four frames would help Marist put pressure on the Wolverines, but to no avail.
With the Red Foxes' offense neutralized, UVU was able to mount a 4-0 lead with runs in the first, fourth and fifth innings.
Marist finally broke through on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning with three runs. Freshman Nicole Cheek (Simi Valley, Calif.) came around to score the Red Foxes' first run when Alyssa Zahka (Lexington, Mass.) singled her in. Zahka would score the second run of the game when she stole home with Aly Klemmer (Hamilton, N.J.) at bat. With the bases empty, Lausch would bring Marist within one at 4-3 with a solo home run over the left-center field wall.
Unfortunately for the Red Foxes this would be as close as they would get in the late innings, as the Wolverines trotted in a pair of efficient relievers, in Megan Peay and Tiffany Mills, who struck out Marist's final four batters to make the contest final at 4-3.
For the game, UVU outhit Marist 9-5 and saw its pitchers strike out 10 Red Foxes. Five separate players registered hits for Marist. In the circle, junior Paige Lewis (Temecula, Calif.) pitched a complete game allowing four runs on nine hits.
The Red Foxes will be off for two days as they head to Colorado and get into tournament play at the Colorado State Spring Tournament beginning on Friday, March 22. At Fort Collins, Marist will face off with Ball State, Columbia and Colorado State over three days.
