Softball splits with BYU, Idaho State

BOX SCORE: vs. BYU
BOX SCORE: vs. Idaho State

ST. GEORGE, Utah -- Northern Colorado's softball team got some solid relief pitching from sophomore Courtney Maihi in a 6-4 victory over Idaho State on Friday at BYU's Red Desert Classic.

The Bears, after earlier suffering a 10-0 defeat to the host Cougars, bounced back in their afternoon game to even their season record at 2-2.

Northern Colorado didn't get its second win last season until its ninth game of the year.

Maihi, who replaced sophomore Jamie Juelfs in the circle, surrendered just two hits in 4.1 innings against the Bengals to get her first win of the season. Maihi (1-0) struck out four and walked just one.

Offensively, the Bears were led by senior outfielder Jessie Schoepflin, who scored two times and stole a base, and heralded freshman Melisa Ryba, who continued a scorching start to her career with a pair of singles.

Ryba (Littleton, Colo.) has gotten at least one hit in each of the Bears' games this season. She enters tomorrow's final day of the Classic hitting a team-leading .500, with five hits, three runs and one home run in her 10 at-bats.

Ryba and Kara Ryman got one single apiece for Northern Colorado's only hits against BYU. Sophomore Kelli Henderson started in the circle for the Bears against the Cougars, but she got cuffed around for five runs (four earned) after allowing six walks.

Northern Colorado will finish its Classic run tomorrow with a single game against Utah State at 1:30 p.m. (MT).