Softball season comes out swinging

**NOTE: All stats and records are as of April 3**

Utah State University Softball, now just over two weeks back in Logan after spending a month and a half on the road, is establishing itself as a fierce foe in the Mountain West Conference.

At the time of writing, the team has improved its conference record to 6-2, tying for first place in the conference. The Aggies’ most recent home victories came in a doubleheader on April 2 against New Mexico, winning 7-6 in 12 innings in the first game and securing an 8-6 victory in a five-inning second game.

Due to cold weather, the team spent the entire first month of the season on the road. Their home opener came on March 12 with a 9-8 win against Utah Valley.

The extensive travel and packed schedule can cause some fatigue, but the Aggies appear to be finding a second wind in their recent performances.

“Other than those first two weeks of the season, we’re probably playing our best ball,” head coach Todd Judge said. “I think for the first time, like maybe all year, all three phases are working together.”

The three phases Judge is referring to are pitching, batting and fielding. 

Here’s a look at how each of those phases has been shaping up so far this season:

BATTING

While USU Women’s Soccer climbed to No. 7 in the nation last fall, the softball team’s batting lineup might be the strongest collection of players on campus this school year. Going down the lineup reveals a list of accolades for virtually every player.

First baseman Giselle Gonzalez joined rare Aggie company when she was named National Player of the Week during the week of Feb. 24. Her .409 batting average, .748 slugging percentage, 47 hits, 46 RBIs and 12 home runs all rank among the top five in the Mountain West.

Shortstop Ariel Fifita was recently ranked as the No. 6 best player at her position in America in the D1Softball midseason positional rankings. She ranks No. 3 in the conference with a .416 batting average, No. 3 with 42 runs scored, No. 1 with 14 doubles, No. 2 with 52 hits, No. 3 with a .526 on-base percentage and No. 4 with 22 walks.

Catcher Kaylee Erickson made history on March 23 with her fourth grand slam of the season, tied for second-most in a single season in NCAA history.

Catcher and infielder Grace Matej earned Mountain West Player of the Week honors during the first week of the season. She has ranked among the top 20 players in nearly every batting statistic in the conference.

In the eight games since conference play began, right fielder Kya Pratt has dominated the leaderboards, ranking No. 4 with a .500 batting average, No. 4 with an .864 slugging percentage and No. 3 with a .593 on-base percentage.

Pratt was particularly dominant in the doubleheader against New Mexico, going 5-for-7 with two home runs and seven RBIs.

“She had a very, very big game there, for sure,” Judge said. “She’s just had a great year. She goes full speed, never complains, just kind of does her thing.”

FIELDING

When it comes to fielding, Utah State is among the best in the Mountain West.

They are tied for No. 3 in the conference with a .969 fielding percentage, No. 2 in the nation with 362 assists and tied for No. 1 in the Mountain West with 16 double plays.

Their Achilles’ heel at times has been errors. With 34 on the season, they rank No.4-worst in the conference, but this could be attributed to their willingness to take risks.

Of the 15 players in the Mountain West with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage, four are Aggies: Matej, Pratt, Faith Kroening and Brooklyn Pritchett. No other team has more than two perfect fielders.

The defensive combo of shortstop Fifita and first baseman Gonzalez has been deadly. Gonzalez leads the conference with 320 putouts, and Fifita’s 117 assists are the most by any player in the country.

Pratt, who was an all-around star in the recent New Mexico doubleheader, showcased her skills as an outfielder at a crucial moment in the 10th inning. With one out and the bases loaded, she dove for a flyball in deep right field and in one seamless motion, threw it to first base for a double play.

Judge believes her play saved the game, and while Pratt was confident in her ability to make the play, she made sure to credit her teammates.

“I knew I could make that play,” Pratt said. “I knew that Gigi [Gonzalez] was going to be at first base, and just seeing her getting up fast and popping it back to her — I think it was just the chemistry between all the team and the drills we do in practice that prepared me for that.”

PITCHING

The pitching has had its rough spots for Utah State this year. 

They are ranked No. 2-worst in the conference with a 6.28 ERA, worst in opponent batting average at .350, worst in strikeouts with 105 and tied for worst in home runs allowed with 34.

Their pitching lineup is virtually all first-year transfers, and the adjustments for their new unit have been ongoing.

However, it appears they’ve found a reliever who could be a huge part of their future, perhaps even becoming their top starter down the road. 

Emmalyn Brinka is a junior transfer who previously played at Montana. While the year as a whole has been a bit rocky with a 4.91 ERA and 15 home runs allowed, she has been a completely different player in conference play.

Appearing in six conference games and starting two, Brinka ranks No. 5 during that stretch with a 1.91 ERA, completely turning her season around. She’s also tied for No. 7 in conference play with 16 strikeouts after recording just 23 strikeouts in the other 15 games she appeared in this season.

“[Brinka’s] done a really good job of having a down ball,” Judge said. “I mean, on this field in the Mountain West, the ball just flies. You have to have something hardened down, and that’s what makes her good at the end of the day.”

Brinka delivered her most masterful performance in the New Mexico doubleheader. Between the two games, she threw a combined 145 pitches and pitched a full eight innings, allowing just two earned runs and striking out six.

In the first game, Brinka pitched from the seventh through the 12th inning, amassing 100 pitches and securing the win. 

Part of her motivation came from facing off against New Mexico’s pitcher Natalie Fritz, who threw 127 pitches of her own. Both Brinka and Fritz played high school ball in Arizona, and they’re well familiar with each other’s games.

“It was fun for me,” Brinka said. “We played against each other in high school, and she’s a great pitcher.”

With one of the best batting lineups the school has ever seen, top-tier fielding and a rapidly developing bullpen, this team is poised to make a lot of noise come May. 

The team’s confidence continues to grow, but Judge is ensuring they stay disciplined amid all the excitement.

“You just can’t take anyone for granted based on records or anything like that,” Judge said. “I think that’s the thing we’re really going to try and get away from: talking about sweeps and winning and all that. Just continue to work on what we work on every single day in practice. If we take care of those things, the game will take care of itself.”