Softball falls in 11 at Long Beach
In three games the defense allowed just six runs, but the offense only scored a single run as the Utah State University softball team opened conference play at Long Beach State University.
The Aggies scored their lone run in the second inning of Sunday’s game when catcher Breanne Smith hit a shot over the right field fence. For Smith, who went 2 for 3 in the game, it was her third home run of the season.
USU held a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh.
With one out, two LBSU runners were put on base by starting pitcher Kristin Hommel. Hommel walked the first batter and hit the second. Freshman Lindsay Janssen entered in relief for Hommel, walking the first batter she faced.
With the bases loaded, Gaucho shortstop Jamie Farnsworth grounded out for an RBI to tie the game, 1-1.
“We had it won in the seventh,” USU coach Debbie Bilbao said. “We had two or three walks that inning and when that happens, I think maybe we just froze up a little bit on the mound.”
The score remained knotted until the bottom of the 11th when Long Beach second baseman Panita Thanatharn led off with a single. The next batter, first baseman Nicole Spencer, laid down a bunt and on the attempted putout, Aggie second baseman Danielle Rodriguez was unable to handle the throw. The runners advanced to second and third on the error.
With no outs and runners in scoring position, Gaucho Christina Zepeda hit a sacrifice fly to drive home Thanatharn and give Long Beach the 2-1 victory.
“Overall to survive 11 innings and to just work your butt off, our kids played hard for 11 innings, we just needed to convert offensively and we didn’t do that,” Bilbao said.
The Aggies opened conference play Saturday with a doubleheader, losing 2-0 in both games.
The first game remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning when Long Beach’s Darcey Brown drove in the game’s only two runs with a triple. It was the only hit of the day allowed by Hommel who struck out six in the loss.
In the second game the results were identical. LBSU scored its first run in the bottom of the third and added a second in the bottom of the fifth. The Gauchos scored their two runs on five hits.
Two of the Aggies’ three hits came from Rodriguez who had a single and a double. Smith had Utah State’s other hit. For the series, Smith was 3 for 9 from the plate while Rodriguez was 4 for 11.
“Those two were probably the two bright spots in the weekend,” Bilbao said. “Overall, I think the rest of the team really struggled offensively. We just weren’t coming through and making adjustments at the plate.” [cut]
In the series, the Aggie pitching staff combined for a 1.25 ERA and the team committed five errors.
“Overall the pitching for the whole weekend was phenomenal,” Bilbao said. “When your ERA goes down your errors go down. For our pitchers to keep us in the ball game, that’s all I can ask out of them.”
The Aggies, 3-20 overall and 0-3 in conference, will play a non-conference doubleheader at BYU Wednesday before resuming conference play Friday.
“Just because it’s BYU and non-conference doesn’t mean it’s not important to this team,” Bilbao said. “Certainly a lot of these girls like playing against BYU and they are a tough team. We lost to them 7-6 earlier this year so I’m sure it will be a dog fight.”
The Aggies’ home opener is Friday against No. 7 Cal State Fullerton, a team riding a 21-game win streak.
After being unused all winter, LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Field is undergoing work to prepare it for play.
Bilbao said the field is looking better than it was last week and it should be ready by Friday.
“The tarp is off, I’m excited about that,” she said. “It’s a lot better than I thought it would be.”
Utah State has been on the road since opening the season Feb. 8, and Bilbao said she thinks the team is ready to play at home.
“I think they’re just excited to be in their bed right now to be honest,” Bilbao said.
USU and CSF are schedule to play a doubleheader Friday beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday the same two teams will play at noon.