USU softball set to play five games in three days
After playing its first 16 on the road or at neutral sites, the Utah State softball team is just a week away from playing its first home games of the season.
Before that, however, the Aggies (2-14) will play in their last tournament of the year, the Capital Classic in Sacramento, Calif.
USU will play five games in three days, starting Friday against defending national champion and No. 7-ranked California at 1:30 p.m., and Long Island at 4 p.m. The Aggies also played Thursday against Iowa.
Play will continue Saturday when the Aggies take the field against Eastern Kentucky at 1:30 p.m., following a game against UNLV at 4 p.m. Play will conclude Sunday at noon against Sacramento State.
Utah State will look to break a six-game skid when they take on California. In order to have a chance against the Golden Bears, the Aggies will have to slow down a Cal squad that features six players with at least a .300 batting average.
When USU plays Long Island, it will face off against a familiar foe, as USU beat LIU 3-0 last year. The Blackbirds are currently 4-9 on the season, and have lost six of their last seven games.
Saturday’s game against UNLV (14-17) will be USU’s second against UNLV this season, as the Aggies held off a late Rebel rally to pick up a 4-3 win March 7 in Las Vegas — USU’s last victory.
In that game, the Aggies were led at the plate by senior left fielder Marcie Neff, who went 2-for-2 at the plate.
When the Aggies take the field against Sacramento State on Sunday, they will be facing a long-time conference opponent. The lady Hornets were long-time members of the Big West Conference, before making the switch to the West Coast Conference this season.
Sacramento State (16-7) took two of three games from the Aggies a year ago.
Following its game against the Hornets, USU will return to action March 26 against in-state rival Southern Utah. The teams will play a doubleheader, starting at 2 p.m. at Johnson Field.
–jasonwturner@cc.usu.edu