Softball splits with UNLV in home opener
Spring weather was in full effect on Friday, as rain-soaked fields caused the Utah State softball team to postpone its home opener until the next day, making Saturday a double-header.
Unfortunately for the Aggies, in the first game of Saturday afternoon the team took the field and were shutout by UNLV and the Rebels’ conference-best pitching staff.
UNLV freshman pitcher Jenny Bressler earned her league leading 14th win of the season and the ninth shutout for the Rebels, also tops in the conference. UNLV came out strong in the top of the first inning with three runs and came back in the second to put up four more runs.
Sophomore pitcher Delaney Hull gave up nine earned runs total before being pulled in the third with one out left in the frame. Freshman Chloe Nightingale came in to replace Hull and gave up two more runs in two and a third innings; the game was called in the fifth inning due to the run rule, ending in a 12-0 Rebels’ win. Even though the Aggies failed to score any runs, one player had another good game at the plate. Freshman shortstop Lexi Orozco had the only two hits for the Aggies, extending her team-high batting average to .357.
But the next game was a different story at the plate. The Aggies were able to bounce back immediately after and grab a 4-3 win over the Rebels. It was another slow start for Utah State, but the team exploded for three runs in the fifth inning behind the bat of Orozco yet again. Junior outfielder Riley Plogger drew a walk to get things going in the Aggie half of the inning, immediately followed by two straight singles. Sophomore outfielder Stephanie Reed and freshman second baseman Kenzie Bolin were the two players who loaded up the bases for the Aggies, and that’s when Orozco struck with her second double of the day, sending two runs in. An error at the plate by the Rebels’ catcher led to Bolin being able to come home too, sending Orozco to third.
By the end of the inning the Aggies had grabbed its 4-3 lead, which the team would hold on to through the pitching of Freshman Kapri Toone. Toone pitched her second complete game of the season, also grabbing her second career win in the process. Utah State ended the game splitting the day with UNLV at one win a piece, and due to more bad weather, that would end the series as well.
HUGE shoutout to @TGOD4926 our student workers & @lasergraderUt w/@DuraEdge. The OF was under 1” of H2O the AM & they spent 3 hrs blow drying, spreading turface & grooming the IF so we could play today! THANK YOU!!! pic.twitter.com/b5fF3h1RpX
— USU Softball (@USUSoftball) March 24, 2019
The rain continued to come down throughout Saturday and into Sunday morning, and although the team got some help clearing the field on Saturday, the weather would be too much to overcome. Sunday’s game was cancelled with no make-up day currently in place.
The Aggies continue Mountain West play with a three-game series away to Colorado State this weekend. The Rams are currently leading the conference in wins with a 23-4 record and a perfect 6-0 record in league play. After this past weekend, Utah State moves to 2-3 in conference play and 11-14 for the season.
Twitter: @dren_sports