April 8, 2008

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State softball travels to Pocatello, Idaho to take on the Idaho State Bengals in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday, April 8 starting at 12 p.m. (MT).

Utah State is 10-21 on the season and 2-6 in the Western Athletic Conference, having won four of its last five games. USU is led by freshman SS Kelley Kaneshiro's .410 average, while sophomore CF Emily Reilly and junior DP Kayla Dunn are tied for second on the team, hitting .344. Junior P Lindsey Benson leads the team with a 5.05 ERA and has struck out 77 in 123.1 innings of work.

Kaneshiro has the longest active hitting streak of any Aggie player this year at 13 games. Last week she hit her team-leading seventh home run against Utah Valley, which puts her in sole possession of the seventh spot on the USU single season home run list.

Idaho State is 5-19 overall and the Bengals are currently on a four-game winning streak. ISU returns to the field on Tuesday at Weber State after having a week off. Wednesday's games will be Idaho State's home opener as a doubleheader scheduled on Monday against the College of Idaho was cancelled due to inclement weather. Offensively, the Bengals are led by sophomore OF Megan Miller's .333 average and defensively by sophomore P Kandis Clesson's 4.40 ERA and 2-2 record.

Utah State holds a 19-6 advantage in the all-time series against Idaho State, as the Aggies have won the last four in a row and 11 of the last 13 overall. Last season, USU defeated ISU, 13-12, at the BYU/UVU Red Desert Classic on Feb. 10 and the Aggies swept the Bengals on April 24 in Logan, winning, 5-0 and 10-2.

The Aggies continue Western Athletic Conference action at home, hosting New Mexico State in a three-game series on Friday and Saturday, April 11-12. Friday's single contest starts at 3 p.m., while the twinbill on Saturday is set to begin at 1 p.m. All home games are played at LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Field and admission is free.