May 14, 2005
Final Stats
SAN DIEGO - In a game that turned into a pitcher's dual, two of the Mountain West Conference's best pitchers squared off in the Championship Game Saturday at the SDSU Softball Stadium. UNLV (43-17) sent Jacque Kerrigan (28-14) to the circle, while BYU (44-12) countered with Daniella Urincho (15-2). Kerrigan struck out nine for the second-straight contest, but lost for the first time in 11 decisions. The 2-0 loss snaps the Rebels' season-high eight-game winning streak and gives BYU the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, which starts next weekend. The Rebels must wait until Sunday to learn their fate if their season will be extended into the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid.
BYU scored solo runs in the second and third innings. In the second, with two out, Jen Whiteley hit a single to third and was brought home on an RBI-double off the left field fence by Jodi Norton.
The Cougars scored their final run with a lead off single by Krystle Chamberlain in the third. Chamberlain's single was of the "excuse-me" variety as she stuck her bat out and hit the ball just short of Brittany Meade's range to get her out. Debbie Dodds sacrificed Chamberlain to second with a bunt. Paige Paramore hit a single to left that dropped in front of Marissa Nichols in left. The ball rolled past Nichols for the freshman's first error of the season. When the ball rolled towards the fence, Chamberlain took advantage and came around to score on the error. Kerrigan promptly got the next two batters to strike out to end the inning with Emi Snow stranded at second base. Snow entered the game as a pinch runner for Paramore.
After BYU scored its final run, Kerrigan shut down the Cougar bats. BYU did not record another hit from the fourth inning on. Kerrigan did allow one base runner as she hit a batter in the fifth. She struck out nine and walked none. This is the first such contest that Kerrigan has started, walked none and lost. Previously, she was 11-0 prior to today's loss.
UNLV had its opportunities as they touched Urincho for three hits, including back-to-back singles by Valerie Keeney and Sandy Nakamura. With one out, Keeney hit a spinner that fell out of the reach of BYU's third baseman. The ball hit and spun into foul territory to break up Urincho's no-hit bid. Nakamura came to the plate as a pinch hitter and sliced the first pitch through the left side for a single. Morgan Bostwick re-entered the game for Nakamura as the first base runner. After the second out was recorded, Marissa Nichols hit a long fly ball to center field that was caught for the third out.
In the sixth, Caitlyn Paus doubled to right field to start things off. Urincho recorded sent down the next three hitters with a line out, strike out and a fly out.
With one out in the seventh, Keeney reached base for the second time with an error by Dodds at second base. Bostwick hit a grounder to short that got Keeney out at second. Bostwick reached first safely on the fielder's choice and took second on a wild pitch. Pinch-hitter Danielle Martinez struck out swinging to end the game.
2005 Mountain West Conference All-Tournament TeamJacque Kerrigan UNLVMaggie Livreri UNLVMarissa Nichols UNLVLauren Cusick Colorado StateAshley Perkins New MexicoNeta Le'i BYUJodi Norton BYUDaniella Urincho BYUSummer Tobias BYUPaige Paramore BYU
MVP - Daniella Urincho, BYU
Game notes:
-UNLV's season-high winning streak came to an end at eight games.
-UNLV's 43-wins rank third in the all-time program records.
-Rosa Ordaz's six-game hitting streak came to an end today against BYU.
-Jacque Kerrigan moved into a second-place tie for most appearances in a single-season (49). Kerrigan sits in 7th-place in single-season complete games (28). She sits in fifth in single-season strikeouts with 195.
-In the career charts, Kerrigan (132 starts, 72 wins) is one start shy of tying for the program's high of 133 and one win shy of tying for for second-place in the career wins with 73.
