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BYU Gets Record-Breaking Win Over Utah The Cougars' 13th consecutive win marks a new school record.
April 30, 2007 PROVO, Utah - A game that started off as a pitcher's duel ended up becoming a battle of the bats, as both Jodi Norton and Dani Urincho-Snow hit late home runs to keep BYU (33-16, 10-2) alive in its eventual 4-3 win over University of Utah (22-22-1, 2-10). The Cougars' 13th consecutive win marks a new school record, while Norton's deep ball pulls her to within one of the team's single-season home run record of 21. "I'm very proud of our team for not giving up," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. "This was an important game for us to win for the conference standings." The Cougars struck first when Utes third baseman Tori Medina threw a routine grounder over first baseman Brandie Allen's head, scoring Jennifer Whiteley from first. The game turned into a pitcher's duel after Whiteley's score, as both pitchers started to heat up. After giving up the game's first hit to Meghan Crouse, Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Week Christina Gwyn retired the next 10 batters in a row. Her counterpart for Utah, Karina Cannon, also had a stretch between the second and sixth innings in which the senior sat down 13 consecutive Cougars. The Utes came back in the top of the sixth with Kristie Keller and Hailey Davenport both singling on with just one out. Diana Phillips hit a single to score Keller, and one batter later Andrea Hoffman drove in pinch runner Jacqueline Decker to take the 2-1 lead. Norton didn't allow the Cougars to be down for long. In the bottom of the sixth, the senior took a full-count pitch over the center field wall to tie the game at two apiece and end BYU's streak of 13 hitless at bats. Junior Emi Snow followed suit with a single into left field. Pinch runner Stephanie Platt stole second base, putting herself into scoring position with Andrea Ramirez at the plate. However, Ramirez would ground out to the pitcher taking a tie-game into the final inning. Utah freshman Kara Foster quickly put an end to the suspense hitting the inning's first pitch over the fence for the one-run lead. Not to be outdone, Cougar first baseman Urincho-Snow took the first pitch she saw in the bottom of the order to once again make it a tie game.
Senior Tracee Hoch followed next with an infield blooper that the Utah shortstop couldn't quite get her glove under. Pinch runner Jana Anderson then stole second to move into scoring position with just one out. Monica Gonzales slapped Anderson to third, bringing Cortney Nix-Clark to the plate with two outs. BYU would have to settle for the tie, as Nix-Clark struck out swinging to send it into extra innings. In the bottom of the eighth, Norton once again carried the weight of the team on her shoulders with Whiteley on first and no outs. Norton responded to the pressure with a double to left center, giving Snow two in scoring position with no outs. Snow kept the Cougars record-breaking winning streak alive with a fly ball that allowed Whiteley to score the winning run on the tag up. "In the sixth inning," Eakin said, "I told them to dig deep, and they did because they believe in themselves." BYU hosts Utah Valley State College on Tuesday, May 1 at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office at the entrance of Miller Park. |
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