April 17, 2008

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State softball plays in just its second conference road series of the year this weekend at Louisiana Tech on Friday and Saturday, April 18-19. Friday's game is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. (MT), while the doubleheader on Saturday is set to begin at 12 p.m. (MT). Fans can follow all the Aggie action this weekend through the USU web site at www.UtahStateAggies via GameTracker, a free service, which updates play-by-play and statistics throughout the game.

Utah State is 11-24 on the season and seventh-place in the Western Athletic Conference with a 2-9 record, after picking up its first shutout of the season at Idaho State, 7-0, on Wednesday, April 9 before falling to New Mexico State last weekend, 5-3, 5-4, and 14-1. USU is led by freshman SS Kelley Kaneshiro's .386 average which ranks fifth in the conference, while junior P Lindsey Benson leads the team with a 4.77 ERA and has struck out 105 in 148.1 innings of work. As a team, USU is tied for third in the WAC in walks (118) and sixth in home runs (25), sixth in doubles (44), sixth in stolen bases (34) and seventh in batting average (.271).

Louisiana Tech is 26-23 on the year and currently in fifth-place in the WAC with a 4-7 record. La. Tech has won two of its last five games as it went 1-2 against No. 12 Fresno State, beating FS, 5-3, in game one before falling 9-0 and 1-0. The Lady Techsters are led offensively by sophomore SS Amberly Waits' .421 average to rank first in the WAC, while the team is led defensively by freshman P Meghan Krieg's 1.20 ERA with a 5-2 record. As a team, Louisiana Tech is second in stolen bases (51), tied for second in doubles (61), tied for fourth in home runs (27), fifth in walks (113) and sixth in batting (.273).

Utah State is 4-5 all-time versus Louisiana Tech, having won three out of the four meetings last season after losing the previous four in a row. Last year, the Aggies swept the Lady Techster in Logan, winning, 7-6, 12-4 and 6-5. Louisiana Tech won the fourth game last season, 8-1, in the first round of the WAC Tournament.

The Aggies wrap up non-conference action at home next week, hosting Idaho State in a doubleheader on Thursday, April 24 at 2 p.m., while USU hosts Northern Colorado for a four-game series in two days on Saturday and Sunday, April 26-27.