Softball

Softball opens NJCAA natioanls with 5-1 win

ST. GEORGE, Utah -- May 19, 2011- Salt Lake CC hurler Ariel Zimmerman fanned a tournament-high 16 batters as the second-seeded Bruins (53-7) defeated #15 seed Western Nebraska CC (51-14), 5-1, in the opening round of the 2011 NJCAA Division I Women's Fastpitch National Championship tournament held Thursday afternoon at the Canyons Complex. SLCC advances to play #7 Howard College tomorrow at 11 a.m. (MDT).

Zimmerman scattered two hits and the lone run over seven innings of work. Meanwhile, her 16 strikeouts were the second-highest total in NJCAA tournament history, one shy of the 17 punchouts set by Lauren Eckermann of Temple JC in 2006.

Salt Lake got all the offense it needed in the first two innings as the Bruins tallied a single run in the first and three more in the second, with the big blow coming off a two-run single by shortstop Krystin Jachim.

WNCC starter Ashton Hughes pitched well in a losing effort, allowing three earned runs (five total) on eight hits with five strikeouts. Jordan Schoepflin and Mariah Faifer accounted for both WNCC safeties.

#15 Western Nebraska CC            000 100 0        1    2    2  
#2 Salt Lake CC                            130 001 x        5    8    0

Hughes and Stubbs. Zimmerman and Wallace and Waters (7). W - Zimmerman. L – Hughes. 2B – SLCC, Simonsen. HR – None. T – 1:35.
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