Feb. 17, 2006
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Freshmen Roxanne Hannan and Deanna Menapace hit back-to-back homers in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift UC Davis past UTEP, 6-5, Friday afternoon at the UNLV Louisville Slugger Desert Classic. The dramatic blasts capped off a comeback effort for the Aggies that saw them overcome a 4-0 deficit heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. With the victory, UC Davis improves to 4-3 on the year and 2-1 at the Desert Classic.
UTEP scored a run in the first and third inning to take a 2-0 lead before plating two more in the top of the fourth. Leading 4-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth, UTEP's Renee DiPuccio seemed to be on cruise control, allowing just two hits in the first three innings. That all changed, though, in the bottom of the fourth.
Ashley Johnson led off the inning with a single, and Sarah O'Neill followed with a walk. With one out and runners on first and third, Hannan connected for a two-run double to pull the Aggies within 4-2. Christina Grimm added a two-out RBI-single to get the Aggies within 4-3 heading to the fifth.
After UTEP responded with a run in the top of the fifth, O'neill answered in the bottom of the fifth with a run-scoring single to cut the UTEP lead down to 5-4. The Miners failed to score in the top of the sixth, setting up the fateful bottom of the inning for the Aggies.
Hannan led off with a home run to right center to tie the game at 5-5. Menapace came up next and did the same to center field. That gave UC Davis a 6-5 lead, its first advantage of the game. UTEP managed to get a runner at second with one out in the seventh, but Grimm closed the door, forcing a fly-out and ground-out to end the game.
Lindsay Tognetti (3-1) picked up the win for the Aggies. She started the game and came back on later in the contest in relief. In all, she allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits with two strikeouts.
UC Davis outhit UTEP, 11-6. Hannan, Johnson and Megan De La Hoya all collected two hits on the day.
The game was the only one of the day for UC Davis, which concludes its play at the tournament Saturday with games against Portland State and UNLV.
