In their first home series of conference play, the Wildcats were able to remain dominant, sweeping the University of Northern Colorado Bears by a combined score of 28-3.
In the first game of the doubleheader, the game did not even get to the full seven innings. The game was over after five innings because of the mercy rule, with the final score at 11-1.
The star of the first game at bat was junior outfielder Sara Hingsberger who scored two runs and drove in five runs off of three hits. While Hingsberger and senior Aubrey Whitmer got it done with the bat, it was sophomore pitcher Kirtlyn Bohling on the mound who really shut down the Bears.
“With run support like that it takes all the stress off of me, which is so nice,” Bohling said of the offensive performance of the team. “You’ve still got to go to work, but with that kind of run support you’re going to win a lot of games.”
In her five innings on the mound, Bohling gave up only one run off three hits while striking out three of the Bears. She also got help defensively when her defense was able to turn a double play after one of the Northern Colorado players reached base.
“It’s fun, I don’t do that much work,” Bohling said after the game “My defense played stellar double plays. They’re just always so clutch.”
In the second game, Weber State won 7-2 with the decisive runs coming off the bat of sophomore catcher/designated hitter Molly Horne. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Horne stepped up and hit a two-run home run, her first home run of the year, giving the Wildcats a 7-0 lead.
The win was especially compounded by the support of the home crowd, which was present for the team’s home opener.
“Something really clicked and it just felt so smooth,” Horne said of her performance on the day. “It was so loud, they were so supportive. I just love it, and we’re always in such a great mood. We just have so much energy when they come.”
On Saturday, the team concluded their three game series against the Northern Colorado Bears with a 10-0 win.
“It was a solid conference series sweep,” said Weber State coach Mary Kay Amincone in an interview with Weber State athletics. “I thought we came out a little bit slow in today’s game. We have offensive goals that we need to continue to concentrate on to allow us to get better.”
This win was also monumental for coach Amicone, who recorded her 595th win as a collegiate head coach.
In the bottom of the first inning, senior third baseman Alyson Kulp drew first blood by hitting a double and then making it to home by a single from senior shortstop Aubrey Whitmer.
During the top of the fourth, the Bears had runners in the corners with no outs, but sophomore second baseman McKinley Brinkerhoff and senior first baseman Krystin Kubo executed a momentum shifting double-play that took the Bears right out of the game.
“When we make big plays, we just feed off of that,” said Brinkerhoff in post-game interview.
Weber State sent up 13 batters and went on a 9-0 run at the bottom of the fourth, sending it into run-rule territory.
Northern Colorado, unable to make anything happen, allowed Weber State to continue their five-game winning streak in front of a full Weber State supporting crowd.
“We love seeing all the fans come out and support us at home,” said Amicone in an interview after the game.
Weber State softball is now 4-1 in conference play, 21-12 overall. WSU will be back in action at home on Tuesday afternoon as they take on Utah Valley at 2 p.m.
