April 4, 2008

Box Score

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State softball gave up a late two-run lead as San Jose State scored eight runs in the top of the seventh to win, 15-8, on a windy day at LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Field Friday in the first contest of a three-game Western Athletic Conference series.

USU drops to 8-21 on the year and 0-6 in WAC play, while SJSU improves to 21-20 overall and 3-1 in conference action. The Aggies are now even with the Spartans in the all-time series, 21-21, having lost four of the last five meetings.

San Jose State scored in the top of the first and then tacked on four more runs in the third before Utah State had even scored.

USU freshman shortstop Kelley Kaneshiro smacked a solo home run over the right field fence in the bottom of the third before SJSU added another run in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead. Senior third baseman Amy Schaible walked in the fourth and then stole second and later home for the Aggies' second run of the game.

Utah State rallied in the fifth, scoring six runs on three hits as sophomore right fielder Mikey Price reached on an error by the shortstop to start off the inning. Kaneshiro and junior first baseman Aubrie Stroman both walked to load the bases before junior designated player Kayla Dunn hit a double up the middle to bring in Price and Kaneshiro. Stroman scored on a Schaible single, while junior second baseman Jeanine Hernandez tripled to right center to score Dunn and Schaible. Hernandez rounded out the Aggie scoring on a sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Simone Hubbard.

SJSU's Kasey Igarta knocked in her second home run of the day in the sixth before the Spartans' bats erupted in the seventh as they scored eight runs on four hits, taking advantage of two Aggie errors, as USU had been errorless up to that point.

Aggie sophomore pitcher Stacey Ellingsworth took the loss after pitching three and a third innings, yielding five runs on six hits while recording one strikeout. Ellingsworth is now 1-3 on the season. Jennifer Ames picked up the win for the Spartans, as she pitched three innings recording one K while allowing four hits and moves to 4-3 overall.

Kaneshiro stretched her hitting streak to 11 games and recorded her team-leading seventh home run of the year. She is now in sole possession of the seventh spot on the USU single-season home run list.

Schaible tallied one RBI on the day, as she went 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored and is now tied for eighth with Kristie Skoglund (1984-87) on the Utah State career RBI list with 70.

Junior pitcher Lindsey Benson moves to eighth on the USU career strikeout list, surpassing former teammate Leslie Higley (2003-06, 229) as she recorded two K's on the day and now has 230.

The Aggies were led by Dunn's 3-for-4 effort with a run and two RBI, while Kaneshiro and Stroman were both 2-for-3 at the plate.

USU continues its three-game series with a doubleheader against SJSU on Saturday, April 4 at LaRee and LeGrand Johnson, starting at 1 p.m. Admission is free to all USU home games.