Andy Hawkins has nothing on Dena Mullins.
Hawkins, you may recall, pitched a no-hitter last year for the Yankees, but New York lost the game.Sunday afternoon at the Cottonwood Complex, New Mexico's ace, Mullins, hurled a no-no in the championship game of the Western Athletic Conference softball tournament, but the Lobos lost to Utah 1-0.
"That was an odd way to win a game," Utah coach Jo Evans understated. "But I told the team that we deserved to win because we played better defense."
The victory gave Utah, which also won the regular-season league title, an automatic berth in the 20-team NCAA Championships. First-round matchups were announced Sunday night, and the 25-18 Utes drew the unenviable task of playing top-ranked UCLA, 47-2, on the road.
Still, the Utes have to be pleased they won't see Mullins again this year. The Lobo pitcher was nearly perfect. She didn't give up a hit, struck out seven and walked just one batter - yet somehow picked up a loss.
With one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, Mullins gave up a base on balls to Gaylyn Hoshide. Amy Cowley then hit into a fielder's choice, leaving two outs and a baserunner on first. Cowley was able to steal second and later scored after Lobo third baseman Stepanie Smith's throwing error on Wendy Stewart's routine ground ball.
It was all the scoring Utah would need because Ute pitcher Janet Womack was pitching a brilliant game herself. Womack, who was named the most valuable player of the tournament, gave up just two hits and struck out four in her third shutout of the championship. In her last seven starts, Womack has not given up a single earned run.
"I kept telling (my teammates) to get a hit because I didn't want to win the game when the other pitcher had a no-hitter," Womack said. "I've been in a situation when I've thrown a no-hitter and lost, though. It's nice to be on the other side."
"Janet just pitched a great game," Evans said. "We were at the meat of their order in the final innings, and Janet held them down."
While several of the Lobo players were in tears after the loss, Mullins was upbeat despite the disappointing setback. "I'm proud that we've had such a great year after all that has happened to us," Mullins said. "We've had a lot of injuries and have two walk-ons playing for us, but we hung in there and came a long way as a team."
Earlier in the day, Mullins led the Lobos past Colorado State to earn a trip to the championship game against Utah. New Mexico won 1-0 as Mullins pitched a two-hitter.