The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
NCAA Softball Austin Regional results: Indiana 3, Utah 0
05.19.2006 | Softball
AUSTIN, Texas -- Senior righthander Mariangee Bogado fired her fourth one-hitter of the season and registered eight strikeouts, while her Hoosier teammates rapped out nine hits, as Indiana posted a 3-0 victory over Utah Friday afternoon in the first game of the NCAA Softball Regional taking place at Red and Charline McCombs Field.
The four-team, double-elimination field in Austin features Indiana, now 30-23-1, Utah (38-20), Texas-San Antonio and host and No. 3 NCAA seed Texas. UTSA and Texas face off in the second and final game Friday evening. Indiana will advance to face the winner of the Texas-UTSA game on Saturday, May 20 at 1 p.m. (Central). Utah, the Mountain West Conference tourney champions, will face the Texas-UTSA loser in an elimination game at 3:30 p.m. (Central) Saturday.
It was the first appearance for Indiana in the NCAA Championship since 1996. The Hoosiers are now 10-3 in their last 13 games. Indiana stranded 11 in the game, while the Utes left only two runners. Indiana struck for single runs in the second, third and fourth inning, all off Utah junior righty and starter Karina Cannon.
Bogado moves to 21-9 on the season with the shutout win, her fifth of the year. She walked no one, hit one batter while allowing the one hit - a one-out single down the right field line to Utah's leftfielder Meghan Crouse in the sixth inning. After the hit, Bogado retired the next two Ute batters on a fly ball to left and a line drive to short. Bogado faced 23 batters in her complete game effort.
With her eight strikeouts, Bogado is now one strikeout away from moving into a tie for second in Indiana single-season strikeouts. She has 297 strikeouts on the year. The top two season strikeout marks are held by former Indiana All-American Amy Unterbrink, who had 370 and 298 in two years.
In the second, Indiana centerfield Kim Richards reached on a leadoff infield single to deep second. After an infield popup, second baseman Sarah Padove drove a double to left center, scoring Richards from first. Cannon then retired the next two Hoosier batters on a groundout and strikeout to end the rally.
In the third, Indiana scored its run with the aid of a single, two walks and two Cannon wild pitches - all with two outs. Third baseman Jennilee Huddleston walked and moved to second on a wild pitch before rightfielder Lauren Hines also drew a walk. Both runners then advanced a base on another Cannon wild pitch. Huddleston came home on an RBI single to right by Richards.
The final Indiana run in the fourth was unearned. After Padove reached on a leadoff infield error, Heather Hohs came in to pinch run for her. Hohs stole second, advanced to third on an infield single, and was plated on an RBI single by leftfielder Julia Hamilton.
Cannon drops to 20-8 with the setback. She pitched the first five innings, yielding all nine Hoosier hits and runs. She fanned four and walked three.
POSTGAME COACH AND PLAYER QUOTES
Utah Interim Co-Head Coach Kyle Magnusson
His general statement on the game...
"They beat us in every aspect of the game. They pitched better, played defense better and hit better. There's not much you can say about it other than that. Their pitcher [senior righty Mariangee Bogado] threw the ball around real well. She moved it around well, changed speeds and had a soft balance all game. When they needed to make plays, they made plays."
Interim Co-Head Coach Marriane Bullis
On the difference in the game...
"Indiana came out really confident. They had some good at-bats early. Right from the start, they were ready to play. They took advantage of every opportunity they had, and they kept attacking. We looked a little tenative on our end. They played a well-played game."
Pitcher Karina Cannon
On if the heat affected her pitching...
"It was hot out there, but I just didn't have a good game. I don't know if it was the heat or not. It just wasn't my day today. I didn't throw it like I can. That is disappointing. We'll bounce back tomorrow."
Indiana Head Coach Stacey Phillips
Her general assessment of the game...
"We played a good game in all aspects. We started off slow, but then we got on base and moved them [baserunners] over and got the hits early; being able to tack on runs early is a good sign. Although the first appearance in the NCAA tournament is thrilling, we prepared for this game the same way we did throughout the season.I wasn't really suprised with how we played today. We did the things we talked about all season with the team - work hard and to be aggressive and prepare for each game as we would throughout the season."
Second Baseman Sarah Padove
On her first -- and the team's first -- NCAA tournament appearance since 1996...
"I was nervous right before the game, and I think we all were to have this new experience. But, once I got on the field I just wanted to go out, play some ball and have some fun. The heat (game temperature was 93 degrees) was OK for us. The heat was nice, to be honest, and it helped us to loosen up quickly."
