April 19, 2008

Box Score

RUSTON, La. - Utah State softball lost, 7-2, and gave up a 2-0 lead in game two to fall, 3-2, to Louisiana Tech on a warm and breezy day at the Lady Techsters Field here Saturday afternoon.

Utah State is now 11-27 on the season and 2-12 in the Western Athletic Conference with the loss, while Louisiana Tech improves to 29-23 overall and evens its league record to 7-7. USU is now 4-8 against LTU in the all-time series.

Utah State struck first as sophomore center fielder Emily Reilly led off the first inning with a single up the middle and was brought in by junior first baseman Aubrie Stroman's sacrifice fly to left field. LTU responded in the bottom of the inning, scoring three runs on two hits.

Aggie freshman Megan McDonald started the third inning with a double to center field and later scored on a single by sophomore right fielder Nicole Rupp. The Lady Techsters scored two more runs in the bottom of the third to make it, 5-2. LTU added its final two runs in the home half of the sixth for the five-run win.

USU sophomore pitcher Stacey Ellingsworth pitched six innings yielding five earned runs on eight hits, while striking out four and walking three and falling to 1-4 overall. La. Tech pitcher Kristi Oliver picked up her second straight win of the series, allowing six hits and striking out one in four innings to improve to 14-11 on the year. Wanda Malone pitched the final three innings to pick up her first save of the season, as she struck out three.

The Aggies were led by McDonald's two-for-two effort at the plate, while Rupp went two-for-three with an RBI on the day.

Utah State scored first in game two as Rupp singled to right center in the visitor half of the first and later scored on an error. The score remained, 1-0, through five and a half more innings before Rupp singled in the top of the seventh and was brought in by senior third baseman Amy Schaible's double up the middle. Louisiana Tech brought in all three of its runs in the bottom of the seventh to notch the come-from-behind win.

USU junior pitcher Lindsey Benson took the loss in game two and falls to 10-19 overall. LTU pitcher Meghan Krieg notched the win in improving to 6-2 on the season.

The Aggies take a break from conference action next week, as they host Idaho State in a doubleheader on Thursday, April 24 at 2 p.m. (MT) before hosting Northern Colorado in four-game series on Saturday and Sunday, April 26 and 27. Saturday's doubleheader starts at 1 p.m. (MT) and Sunday's twinbill begins at 12 p.m. (MT). All home games are played at LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Field and admission is free.