Club baseball drops games to WSU, CEU
The Utah State club baseball team had a long week on the road.
They traveled to Ogden and Price and came home without a win.
“That’s not the way we wanted to go into conference but stuff happens,” Aggie Head Coach Ernie Rivers said.
The team now has a 3-3 conference record.
Wednesday and Thursday the team played three games against Weber State University. The two games Wednesday ended 14-8 and 14-7 in the Wildcats favor.
Thursday the Aggies went back with a vengeance.
“The highlight of the game was Taylor Jensen’s pitching,” Rivers said. “He threw a complete game.”
Jensen only gave up five hits with and two resulting in runs.
While the Aggies defense was hot, the Wildcats proved strong also and held the team to just one run.
The final score was 2-1.
Other players who had notable games in Ogden include Jason Clark, Jared Shephard, Scott Ramage, Jonathan Swenson and the Bishop brothers, Shule and Jarom.
Clark went six for 10 batting. He had one home run, one double and four singles. He finished with six RBIs.
Shephard made four steals in two games. He hit three for six and ended up with three singles and a walk.
Ramage had a home run.
Swenson had a triple and a single.
“Our defense has caught up with our hitting, but our pitching isn’t up to par,” Rivers said. ” We are happy with our defense and the way we hit the ball, but pitching needs more opportunities. You can’t simulate pitching [inside].”
The team has something to look forward to. They plan to practice under a Logan sky Tuesday and Thursday.
Rivers said the pitching outside would do a lot of good for the players.
“If they can do well [pitching] against our team they can do well against anyone,” Rivers said. “When you can’t get outside it is a tough circumstance.”
Friday the team played one nine-inning game against the College of Eastern Utah. Saturday they played two seven-inning games against them.
The scores ended 9-2, 6-3, and 15-5 in the CEU’s favor.
“The exhibition game’s purpose is to give our pitchers some practice and give playing time to those who don’t usually play a lot,” Rivers said.
Though all the games ended in a loss the team was either tied or in the lead going into the fourth or sixth innings.
“We gave up some untimely hits, but we are heading in the right direction,” Rivers said.
Swenson had two home runs, a double, and a single. He also contributed six RBI’s against CEU.
“We were hitting hard but we just kept putting the ball right to someone,” Rivers said. “CEU only had singles.”
The Aggies will play their first home games against Montana State. Friday they will play at 3 p.m. and Saturday they will start play at 11 a.m.
The team plays in Providence on the Max L. Johnson Memorial Field.