Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Feb. 15, 2009
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - UC Davis (5-3) used plenty of firepower in the circle and at the plate on its way to an 8-1 victory over Hawaii and a split on the final day of action at the UNLV Louisville Slugger Desert Classic in Las Vegas. Jessica Hancock struck out a career-high 18 batters while firing a three-hit shutout against Hawaii. Freshman Kelly Harman homered twice, and Sarah Axelson added another round-tripper. Following the game, Utah stung the Aggies with three runs in the seventh in a 4-3 come-from-behind victory.
Against Hawaii (2-8), the Aggies were held to just a Julie Stauder single through the first two innings as the game was scoreless heading into the third. With two outs and no one on, Stauder started a rally with another single. After Belinda Paine reached on a fielder's choice, Axelson drilled a 1-2 pitch over the centerfield fence for a three-run homer to put the Aggies on the board first.
In the fourth inning, Harman launched a one-out two-run homer to give UC Davis a 5-0 lead. She added a solo shot in the sixth to give her three homers in a three-game span. Rachel Miller also drove in a run as UC Davis outhit Hawaii, 6-3.
The offense would be more than enough for Hancock. The senior struck out the side in the first, third, fifth, sixth and seventh innings. The only outs not a result of a strikeout came on a force-out in the second and a double play in the fourth. The last 10 outs of the game came via strikeouts, including a 1-2-3 seventh to end the game. Her 18 strikeouts came within one of the school record of 19 set by Lindsay Tognetti on March 10, 2007, against Iowa State. Hancock's previous high was 17 in a 12-inning game against Long Beach State two years ago.
On Sunday, Hancock walked three while allowing just three hits. She improved to 4-1 on the year and finished the tournament surrendering just one earned run with 24 strikeouts in two complete-game efforts.
Utah (7-3) took a 1-0 lead on a homer by Kara Foster in the third inning. It would stay that way until the Aggies rallied in the bottom of the sixth. Paine started it with a leadoff single. Axelson followed with a sacrifice, and Miller walked to put runners at first and second with one out. Deanna Menapace, Erin Emde and Harman all delivered run-scoring singles to put UC Davis up 3-1 heading to the seventh.
The Utes would counter in the top of the seventh with three runs of their own, including two unearned runs, and held the Aggies off the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning to claim the 4-3 victory.
UC Davis is next in action Tuesday when it hosts Nevada at 2 p.m. at La Rue Field.
