USU softball equals last season’s win total over weekend

Following major losses in the past three tournaments, the women’s softball team changed the trend by posting a 4-2 record at the Colorado State Softball Tournament in Fort Collins, Colo., this weekend.

Only 20 games into the season, the USU softball team has equaled the total wins of last season at eight wins, four of which came from the tournament this weekend. The Aggies are now 8-12 under Head Coach Candi Lett’s watch.

Thursday afternoon the Aggies put a halt to a three-game losing streak by beating Northern Colorado 6-5 and 5-4.

In the first game, junior 3B Amy Schaible pounded a two-run hit in the seventh inning to give the Aggies the one point edge over UNC. While this was Schaible’s only hit of the game, it was exactly what the Aggies needed to win.

Commenting on her team’s performance against Northern Colorado, Letts said, “It was really good. The girls were playing aggressive. Different people stood up and did their job. It felt good, and the girls felt good about winning those games. I think they knew they could win. I think they felt confident they could get it done, and they played like a team.”

In the second game against UNC, freshman CF Emily Reilly tripled to right field in the top of the first, followed by a Nicole Rupp double to left field, bringing in Reilly for the first blood. A Jamie Fife hit brought Rupp in to put the Aggies up 2-0.

The Aggies scored three more runs in the third to bring the score up to 5-0. UNC responded with hits in the third, fifth and seventh innings but couldn’t get a fifth run and lost 5-4.

Saturday brought similar results for the Aggies as they once again beat UNC, 12-4. Senior OF Ashley Bellum drilled a grand slam in the first game. Bellum was 2-4 with five RBIs and two runs scored. Fife was 2-3 with three runs scored.

This marked the first time this season the Aggies have gone on a three-game winning streak. But just as soon as USU achieved this record, they lost it in a 10-1 pounding in five innings to Colorado State.

Letts was the former head coach at CSU from 1994-1998, where she posted a .602 winning percentage.

When asked if she had any emotions going back, Letts said, “None at all. It was a good place to play but not any emotions. You’re just really excited to play good competition. That’s what it was about.”

Good competition is exactly what Colorado State was as they scored four runs in the top of the second. The Rams stuck again in the fifth by scoring an impressive five runs. The Aggies struggled to get anything going and were consigned to let the lone run scored off a Reilly home run stand in the 10-1 defeat.

“They’re a good team, and they’re very aggressive at the plate,” Letts said of CSU. “They took it to us pretty good. They didn’t give us any room to breathe. I think we learned a lot from the game. I think we realized we got to learn to fight, turn the tide and stop the bleeding. I think we definitely need to stand up and get after it.”

The Aggies had a chance Sunday to attempt those improvements that Letts said she wanted to see. Things didn’t start out well for the Aggies as the Rams nailed two home runs in the third inning, putting them up 2-0. After this, the Rams struggled to score again, only getting one more run the game.

Sophomore pitcher Lindsey Benson had a career-high 10 strikeouts against the Rams and prevented them from repeating the blowout performance the day before.

The Aggies were silent until the seventh inning, when Fife scored the first run. Schaible and freshman Amanda Grow also scored off a Bellum double to win the game 3-1.

But the final game of the tournament caught the Aggies off guard as UNC beat the Aggies 9-5. UNC scored three runs in the top of the third. The Aggies responded in the bottom of the fifth as Stroman brought Fife home, giving USU a 5-4 lead. But that was the last time for the Aggies as UNC came back with three runs in the sixth and two in the seventh, securing the 9-5 victory.

The Aggies will take a short break before traveling to the Cascade Invitational at Eugene and Corvallis, Ore. March 16-18. While there, the Aggies will tangle with the No. 22 Oregon, Portland State, Oregon State and Towson.

-sethhawkins@cc.usu.edu