Weber State softball opens season in Las Vegas, battles Baylor and falls to Arkansas
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- Weber State catcher Lauren Hoe swings at the ball during an NCAA Tournament regional elimination game against Lehigh on Saturday, May 21, 2022, in Seattle. (JUSTIN J. JOHNSON, Special to the Standard-Examiner)
Big Sky Conference softball powerhouse Weber State opened its 2023 season Friday afternoon in Las Vegas, taking on Baylor and No. 7 Arkansas at a tournament hosted by UNLV.
The Wildcats battled Baylor before being run-ruled by the ranked Razorbacks.
Catcher Lauren Hoe moved into second on WSU’s all-time home runs list Friday.
WSU finishes the event by playing Arkansas again Saturday morning, UNLV on Saturday evening and UNLV again on Sunday afternoon.
BAYLOR 8, WEBER STATE 4
Weber State battled but pitchers Mandy Johnson and Madi Peterson (each four walks) issued eight walks and a hit-by-pitch, which was too much to overcome in a loss to Baylor.
Second baseman Faith Hoe led off the first drawing a walk and Mika Chong doubled her in to get Weber State on the board. Catcher Lauren Hoe later followed with a two-run homer to give the Wildcats a 3-0 lead after the first inning.
Lauren Hoe’s dinger was the 23rd of her career, moving her out of a tie with former, longtime teammate Chloe Camarero (2018-22) and alone into second place on WSU’s career home runs list. Sara Hingsberger (2014-17) is in first with 34 home runs.
Leading 3-1, WSU loaded the bases in the bottom of the second but Chong ended the inning by grounding into a double play.
Faith Hoe walked, took second on a wild pitch, and came around to score on two groundouts (the RBI going to McKell McCuiston) to cut Baylor’s lead to 5-4 in the fifth.
WSU got runners on the corners with one out in the sixth but Faith Hoe struck out and Chong grounded out to third to end the threat.
ARKANSAS 8, WEBER STATE 0
In Friday’s second game, No. 7 Arkansas knocked starter Brooke Hatfield out after 1 1/3 innings — a Spencer Prigge three-RBI double in the first the key play — and the Razorbacks won in five innings.
McKell McCuiston and Lauren Hoe each tallied hits for WSU.
Jayci Finch made her WSU debut in the circle. The Clearfield High alum threw the final 1 1/3 innings, allowing one run on two hits with no walks.