April 17, 2008

Box Score

The last time Northern Colorado's softball team played at home, it got two exhibition wins against Western Nebraska Community College -- so those victories didn't count.

But the Bears made sure they continued their winning ways at home on Thursday evening against UNLV. The Rebels struck first in the game, but Northern Colorado struck last and more often in a 5-1 victory at Butler-Hancock Softball Field.

Hillarie Van Otterloo started in the circle for the Bears and didn't let the bullpen come into play. She went the distance in the victory and had a no-hitter going until UNLV (21-28-1) struck for two hits in the top of the fourth inning.

Van Otterloo (4-11) struck out one in the game -- a big punchout to start the seventh inning -- and surrendered just five hits.

Northern Colorado (8-31) did most of its damage at the plate in a four-run third inning. The Bears got the rally started by loading the bases without hitting a ball out of the infield.

With one out, Morgan Dahlman singled to the third baseman, Jessie Schoepflin laid down a perfect bunt and Kelley Johns did the same. Van Otterloo then capitalized with a sharp single up the middle, plating two. Later, with two outs, Courtney Maihi singled to left and scored two more.

It's all Northern Colorado would need, but Kelley Johns added an insurance run in the fourth inning when her single through the left side scored Abby Turner.

The Rebels had thoughts of a seventh-inning comeback, but Van Otterloo set the tone with her lone strikeout of the night against UNLV's Sandy Nakamura. Brittany Bolinger later doubled to left-center field and Stephanie Bean reached on an error by third baseman Morgan Dahlman.

But Dahlman immediately made up for the miscue by getting Jaci Hull on a groundout for the final out of the game and the Bears' eighth win of the season.