Weekly softball recap: Aggies secure tournament berth, prepare for offensive showdown in Boise
The USU Softball team has had a historic season, and last week, they added to the record books by clinching a postseason berth in the Mountain West tournament for the first time since 2011.
Despite dropping two of three games in the series against UNLV, the Aggies’ lone win was enough to punch their postseason ticket. Now, they head into a crucial matchup against Boise State with momentum and plenty of motivation.
“It was kind of a scattered weekend,” head coach Todd Judge said, speaking just after the team’s arrival in Boise. “We had the rain delay on Friday, then Senior Day and a doubleheader on Saturday. There was a lot going on emotionally, but to clinch the tournament right in the middle of it — that was big for our group.”
The team’s 12-4 victory in the middle game of the UNLV series was the clincher, a bright spot amid otherwise tough bookend losses of 5-0 and 10-2. Even with limited time to celebrate, Judge noted the sense of accomplishment around the team in the days following.
“There’s only one kid on the team who’s played in a conference tournament, and that was Kaylee Erickson, who was at BYU,” he said. “And so, a lot of excitement at practice yesterday, really good vibes on the bus on the way up. We just need to start playing a little bit better.”
Judge acknowledged recent weeks have been challenging for his team. They started the season hot with an 8-2 record in conference play before losing six of their last nine games. Amid weather delays and the festivities of Senior Week, the team struggled against UNLV, the lowest-ranked team in the conference.
While the offense came through in the win, the Aggies struggled mightily at the plate in the other two games, stymied by UNLV freshman pitcher Yanina Sherwood. Her unorthodox pitch sequencing and unexpected game-calling — led not by the coach but by the catcher — threw off Utah State’s carefully studied game plan.
“Honestly, that’s on me,” Judge said. “We prepare heavily with game film, and what we saw from [Sherwood] all year was not what we got. We were expecting her to go outside and use changeups. Instead, they attacked us inside all weekend, and we just didn’t adjust well.”
The surprise tactic forced the coaching staff to rethink their approach in practice this week. According to Judge, the team ran two different rounds of batting practice to prepare for both Boise’s usual tendencies and any potential game-plan switches.
“It’s the first time all year that a team totally changed their approach against us,” Judge said. “Now, we’re making sure there’s always a backup plan.”
The Aggies’ pitching, though shaky at times, showed noticeable improvement during the series.
In the first game, Rylie Pindel threw a complete game. While she struggled in the second inning, giving up four runs on four hits, she allowed just one run on five hits over the other six innings, including three quick one-two-three frames.
Emmalyn Brinka faced a similar rough patch in game two, giving up two runs on one hit in the first inning, but settled down to allow just two runs on three hits over the rest of the game.
Defensively, uncharacteristic miscues plagued the Aggies throughout the series. A string of errors, including a game-deciding one in each game, led to big innings for the Rebels and highlighted how much pressure Utah State’s defense is under with a pitch-to-contact staff.
“I’ll be honest — we weren’t good defensively last week,” Judge said. “That’s not the standard we’ve set. Rylie [Pindel] gets a lot of ground balls, and we missed double-play opportunities that could’ve gotten us out of some jams.”
The Aggies enter the final series with a .969 fielding percentage, tied for No. 4 in the conference, but Judge said his team spent extra time this week revisiting defensive fundamentals, especially on fielding grounders and positioning for double plays.
One of the feel-good stories of last weekend’s clinching series came from senior catcher Lyndsey Madrigal, who has seen limited playing time behind two elite starters in Grace Matej and Kaylee Erickson. With Erickson sidelined by injury and Matej being a bit banged up herself, Madrigal stepped in and made her presence felt with a key two-RBI single in the win and a home run in the finale.
“She’s just been stuck behind two really elite catchers,” Judge said. “But she’s a great Division I catcher in her own right. She’s made the most of her shot, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she plays a huge role for us again this weekend.”
Boise State poses an explosive challenge to close the regular season. The Broncos, like Utah State, rank among the national leaders in several offensive categories. Judge anticipates a high-scoring affair and emphasized the importance of not overreacting to giving up early runs.
“I’m used to games that end 3-2,” he said. “But here and in this conference, it’s different. You have to stay composed when you give up a couple. It’s the crooked numbers — the big innings — you’ve got to avoid.”
With the Mountain West tournament on the horizon and a potential top four seed still in play, this series could carry significant implications for the Aggies’ postseason outlook. Utah State has shown the potential for top-tier performances across batting, pitching and defense, but now, that potential needs to turn into reality.
“There’s excitement in the group,” Judge said. “They know what’s at stake. They know what it took to get here. Now, it’s about finishing the job the right way.”
The Aggies are set to face Boise State in a three-game series from May 1-3.