SOFTBALL
The second ranked SLCC Bruins softball team opened the 2012 season with two wins over Eastern Arizona and Phoenix College on Friday. Salt Lake defeated Eastern Arizona 6-1 in the first game of the day and took down Phoenix College 9-3 in the night cap.
Ariel Zimmerman picked up the win in game one, going six strong innings with six strikeouts. Sophomore Brooke Budge went 3-3 at the plate with a double. Freshmen Malia Campos and Maddy Woodard each knocked a home run in the game. Campos connected on an in the park homerun while Woodard placed her ball over the center field fence.
In the night cap, Kylee Colvin kept Phoenix off balance striking out six batters giving way to McCauley Flint to close it out. The SLCC bats sprayed 11 hits around the field off of Phoenix pitching. Savannah Webster was 2-4 with a three RBI double. Mylee Davis knocked a double in the game, Tanisha Anderson was 2 for 3 and Woodard finished the game with two hits including a double.
The team completed opening weekend with a 5-1 record overall. The Bruins only loss came at the hands of defending National Champion Yavapai College while Salt Lake defeated #9 Pima, Central Arizona, Western Arizona, Eastern Arizona and Phoenix College.
Ariel Zimmerman picked up the win over Western Arizona striking out seven will allowing five hits. Mylee Davis belted a two run double while Savanah Webster was 2 for 4.
Freshman McCauley Flint took to the mound versus Yavapai, holding the champions scoreless until the fourth inning. Salt Lake answered back, taking a 2-1 lead into the top of the seventh when a two out error allowed Yavapai to take the 3-2 lead. Yavapai pitching finished the game striking out 13 Bruin batters. Trina Gomez was 3-3 picking up both Salt Lake RBIs.
Against Central Arizona, the Bruins fell down two runs early but key hitting and shutdown pitching allowed Salt Lake to battle to the 10-5 win. Zimmerman picked up the win with nine strikeouts. Webster smashed a grand slam finishing the game 3 for 4 with four RBI. Starlee Hutching connected on a two run home run and Maddy Woodard was 2 for 3.
In the final game of the tournament the Bruins were faced with ninth ranked Pima College. Flint kept Pima off balance the entire game with seven strikeouts and threw Salt Lake’s 1st no hitter of the season. Webster stayed hot with a three run home run and drove home six runs as the Bruins defeated Pima 9-0. Gomez was 4-4 while Brooke Budge launched a two run home run over the left field fence.
No. 2 Salt Lake (5-1) will travel to Yuma Arizona for the Great Western Shootout next weekend.
BASEBALL
The 16th ranked SLCC Baseball team split day one of the 2012 season. Salt Lake dropped the first game of the day 5-1 to Arizona Western and defeated Cochise College 8-1 in game two.
AJ Carman went 6 2/3 strong innings in the game one loss. Carman allowed one earned run while the poor SLCC defense allowed three unearned runs. Tyson Popoff led the offense going 1-3 with a double.
The Bruins came out in game two with more energy with an 8-1 win over Cochise College fueled by a six run third inning. Tanner Banks picked up the win throwing five innings with four strikeouts. Steven Adam finished the game with two hits, Kennedy Kinkade was 2-3 with a double and Dalton Gust added a double.
The team swept the second day of the Coyote Border Battle behind stout pitching. The two wins take the Bruins record to 3-1 in the young season.
Rhett Parkinson picked up the win over Yavapai College throwing six innings with six strikeouts and two hits. Dalton Gust closed the game out striking out seven batters in three innings of work. Steven Adam connected on a bases clearing triple to finish with three RBI while Tyson Popoff was 2 for 3 with a double and three stolen bases.
Popoff was the hero in the final game of the weekend as he picked up the game winning RBI to defeat Arizona Western 3-2. Dane Fuller got the win and Michael Springer went four innings with three strikeouts and no runs. Kennedy Kinkade was 2-4 with a double and Popoff finished the game 2 for 3.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
vs. North Idaho: The Bruins jumped out to a big lead early Friday, thanks to stiff defense and rebounding. Cardinal foul trouble kept Salt Lake ahead for most of the first half. Despite sloppy effort on the inside by SLCC, they held a five point lead at halftime, 30-25. Sophia Hepworth of Salt Lake led all scorers with 16 first-half points.
The second half proved a challenge for the home team as NIC scored 42 second-half points, out-rebounding SLCC 47-29 in the game. Salt Lake opened the period in traveling mode, turning the ball over 12 times, allowing NIC to take the lead. The Bruins found themselves behind by 16 at one point, collapsing on the defensive end, never recovering. The 67-51 defeat moves the Bruins to 1-5 in SWAC play. Hepworth had 22 points for the Bruins.
The team broke its three game losing skid with a 55-47 defeat of Southern Idaho. Salt Lake used a 32-18 second half to take the win. The win moves Salt Lakes conference record to 2-5 and 11-9 overall.
Sophomores Sophia Hepworth and Nicole Newbold led Salt Lake with 12 points apiece. Hepworth added four assists to her 12 points while Newbold collected eight rebounds. Freshman guard Diamond Marchand controlled the offense with four assists, eight points and four rebounds. Salt Lake forced 21 Southern Idaho turnovers which led to 19 points.
Salt Lake (11-9, 2-5) heads out on the road to take on Eastern Utah and Colorado Northwestern next weekend.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
vs. North Idaho: The visiting NIC opened the game on fire from three, converting on three straight 3-pointers. But SLCC quickly turned the game around, grabbing 18 rebounds and six steals to take a 10-point lead early, thanks to a 19-0 run. Defense was the key for Salt Lake in an aggressive first half as they grabbed 18 rebounds and 14 steals. They also hit 50% from downtown. SLCC held a double-digit lead at halftime, 43-33. Augustin Ambrosino and Skyler Halford each had nine points in the first half for Salt Lake.
The Bruins began the second half strong, going on an 8-1 run. NIC was tough on defense at that time, swatting five shots. The Bruins went 8-9 from the free-throw line in the half. SLCC shot 71% from the free throw line in the half, allowing them to stretch the lead and hang on for a 71-61 victory. Louis Garrett was the player of the game for Salt Lake, scoring 14 points. Teammate Jayson Chessman pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds. The win moved SLCC to 4-2 in conference play.
The team fell at home to ninth ranked Southern Idaho by two. In a back and forth game that saw both teams shoot 40%, it was Southern Idaho that came out on top. The loss drops Salt Lake’s record to 17-5 overall and 4-3 in conference play.
The Bruins spread the scoring around evenly with just two Bruins finishing in double digits. Gabe Kindred scored a team high 13 points on 5 of 11 shooting with five assists. Skylar Halford added 10 and Marquis Horne finished with nine points and five rebounds.
Salt Lake (17-5, 4-3) heads out on the road to take on Eastern Utah and Colorado Northwestern next weekend.
