April 27, 2008

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LOGAN, Utah - Utah State freshman shortstop Kelley Kaneshiro smacked three home runs in the Aggies, 11-3, six inning run-rule win in game one, while Northern Colorado captured a 5-3 extra inning decision at a sunny LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Field here Sunday. After the Aggies took game one, the two teams stayed tied at 3-3 in game two through four innings, only to see the Bears push two across in the top of the eighth to take the 5-3 win.

Seniors SS Tara Evans, C Heather Haak and 3B Amy Schaible all played their final home games in an Aggie uniform and were honored in a short ceremony prior to the start of play.

The Aggies are now 14-29 on the year, while the Bears move to 13-34 overall. USU now holds a 22-14 advantage against UNC in the all-time series as the Aggies have now won seven of the last nine meetings.

Kaneshiro's three home runs set a new USU single game record and gives her 10 round-trippers this season, tying for second on the single-season records, list with Sara Fleming (2005) and Sandy Taylor (1999 and 2000). Kaneshiro is also tied for eighth in the USU career home run list with Queola Leonhardt (2003-06) and Kathy Beasley (1993-96). Schaible smashed her sixth home run of the season and her second grand slam of the year, as she is now third on the USU career HR list with 19.

The four dingers today puts USU at 33 on the year as a team, tying the single-season record that was set last season.

Both Kaneshiro and Schaible also tied a single-game record for RBI in a game, tying with three other players, as they each posted five in game one.

Utah State scored often and early in game one, as they brought in three runs in the first inning and five in the second to take an 8-0 lead after two innings. Sophomore center fielder Emily Reilly and freshman left fielder Jessica Law started off the bottom of the first with two walks before junior designated player Kayla Dunn singled to load the bases. Junior first baseman Aubrie Stroman reached on a fielder choice, as the play was made at home for the first out. Schaible singled to score Law, while Kaneshiro brought in Dunn on a single, and junior second baseman Jeanine Hernandez grounded to second to bring in Stroman before Haak grounded to the pitcher to end the first inning.

Law started the Aggies' rally in the second with a single, while Dunn hit a single and Stroman reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases once again for Schaible, as she smashed a grand slam over the left center field fence. The Bears made a pitching change from there but it didn't affect Kaneshiro who smacked her first home run of the game past left field.

Schaible reached on a fielder's choice in the fourth and Kaneshiro tallied her second home run of the game to make the score, 10-0. The Bears bats finally came alive in the top of the fifth with three runs on three hits to cut into the Aggie lead, but Kaneshiro hit a walk-off home run in the sixth to end the game early due to the run-rule.

USU junior pitcher Lindsey Benson picked up her second win in as many days, as she struck out four in six innings of work and improves to 13-19 on the year. UNC pitcher Jamie Juelfs takes the loss, falling to 5-13 overall.

Kaneshiro went a perfect four-for-four at the plate in game one, as scored three runs and tallied five RBI, while Schaible was two-for-four with two runs and five RBI.

The Bears struck first in game two with a run in the top of the first, while the Aggies responded with a run in the bottom of the inning, as Schaible walked and scored on a Kaneshiro single. USU tallied one more in the home half of the second when sophomore right fielder Michelle Workman walked and was then brought in on a Reilly sacrifice fly.

UNC tallied two runs on three hits in the top of the third to take a 3-2 lead and USU tied up the score once more with its third run in as many innings as Kaneshiro walked and scored on an error by the third baseman. The game remained tied at three-all through four more innings to take the game into extra innings and the Bears pushed across two runs on one hit in the top of the eighth for the final score.

Utah State sophomore pitcher Stacey Ellingsworth threw eight complete innings, yielding seven hits and striking out five to fall to 1-6 on the season, while Northern Colorado pitcher Kelli Henderson allowed two hits and eight walks in eight innings and improves to 3-8 overall.

The Aggies will conclude their regular season with a three-game WAC series at Hawai'i on Saturday and Sunday, May 3-4. Action begins at 6 p.m. (MT) on both days with a doubleheader scheduled for Saturday.