FRESNO, Calif. -- Utah posted two more wins in the Western Athletic Conference Softball Tournament on Friday to put itself one win away from reaching the championship round.
Behind the bionic arm of pitcher Sarah Farnworth, the Utes defeated UNLV, 8-1, and Hawaii, 4-1, in back-to-back games at Fresno State's Bulldog Diamond.The Rainbow Wahine got their only run on a sacrifice fly by Tyree Woodruff. Melissa McGie grounded out to Stacy O'Farrell, the second baseman, to end a rally and the game.
The play of the game came in the top of the fourth. With Hawaii runners on first and second and just one out, Lisa Hashimoto made a diving catch in the left-center field gap and doubled the runner off second base. Hashimoto also went 1-for-3 with a run scored in the game.
Utah's fourth and fifth hitters, Jenny Monson and Lyndsey Trevis, both went 2-for-3 against UH with Trevis driving in Monson twice.
The Utes used an offensive explosion to defeat UNLV in the first game, outhitting the Rebels 11-5. Leading the way was Smith, who went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI.
Smith drove in Utah's first runs of the game in the bottom of the third with a two-run single that scored Lisa Hashimoto and Stacy O'Farrell. The Utes went on to add two more runs in the fourth, chasing both UNLV starter Ganey Orris (6-14) and reliever Nicole Truax.
Smith left the yard for the ninth time on the season with a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth. Monson followed that up with her seventh home run of the season, a solo shot.
Farnworth gave up just one earned run and spread out five hits over seven innings.
Utah, now 27-26, plays Hawaii today at 1 p.m. PDT in an elimination game. If Utah wins that game, it will move into the championship round beginning at 3 p.m. PDT.