April 26, 2008

Box Score

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State softball tallied a 7-4 victory in game one against Northern Colorado before dropping a 7-6 extra inning decision at a warm LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Field here Saturday. After winning game one, the Aggies rallied in the seventh inning of game two and tied the score at six-all only to see the Bears push across the winning run in the to of the eighth to win the game, 7-6.

The Aggies move to 13-28 on the year, while the Bears are now 12-33 overall. USU now holds a 21-13 advantage against UNC in the all-time series as the Aggies have now won six of the last eight meetings.

After three and half scoreless innings in the first game USU put the first run on the board in the bottom of the fourth, as junior left fielder Mikey Price hit a bunt single to reach first and scored on a double by junior designated player Kayla Dunn. The Aggies added another run in the bottom of the fifth when freshman pinch runner Jessica Law was brought in on error by UNC's third baseman. Northern Colorado brought in its first run in the top of the sixth.

Utah State's bats erupted in the home half of the sixth as the team tallied five runs on four hits as sophomore center fielder Emily Reilly walked to lead off the inning and Dunn smashed a two-run home run over the center field fence to start the rally. Freshman shortstop Kelley Kaneshiro then hit a single to left, while senior third baseman Amy Schaible brought in both Kaneshiro and senior pinch runner Tara Evans, while Schaible scored the final run on a single to left by junior second baseman Jeanine Hernandez. UNC fought back to score three runs in the seventh but the Aggies had done enough damage in the sixth to hold on to the lead.

USU junior pitcher Lindsey Benson struck out six in seven innings of work and improves to 12-19 on the year, while UNC's Hillarie Van Otterloo struck out two and allowed 11 hits to take the loss to fall to 5-12 overall.

In game two, Northern Colorado scored the first run in the first inning, while Utah State responded in the bottom of the inning when Dunn walked and later scored on a junior first baseman Aubrie Stroman double. UNC added three runs in the top of the third and two in the fifth to take a 6-1 lead.

The Aggies fought back, as Reilly hit a solo home run in the fifth and freshman left fielder Megan McDonald singled to left to start off the sixth and was later brought in by sophomore right fielder Michelle Workman's first career home run. USU's Dunn and Stroman walked in the seventh with two outs, while Schaible smacked a double to score pinch runners Price and Law to tie up the score and push the game into extra innings.

UNC's Van Otterloo was placed on second due to the tiebreaker rule and scored the winning run on a single by Morgan Dahlman.

USU sophomore pitcher Stacey Ellingsworth threw eight complete innings and struck out four as she falls to 1-5 on the season and UNC's pitcher Jamie Juelfs improves to 5-12 on the year.

The two teams return to the diamond Sunday to conclude their four-game series with a doubleheader in Utah State's final home games of the season. First pitch is slated for 10 a.m. Sunday is "Senior Day" at Johnson Field, as the Aggies will be honoring their three seniors: shortstop Tara Evans, catcher Heather Haak and third baseman Amy Schaible.