Softball squad runs into a Fresno State buzzsaw
The Aggie softball team’s Western Athletic Conference woes continue as the Aggies dropped three games over the weekend to the Fresno State Bulldogs in Fresno, Calif. The Aggies fell, 4-1, on Friday, and 7-3 and 4-1 on Saturday.
Aggie senior pitch Kate Greenough struggled, especially on Saturday afternoon in game two of the doubleheader, giving up four runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth inning. It didn’t help either that the Aggies also committed two errors during the inning.
Junior Haley Gilleland started off the sixth inning with a base hit. The Aggies seemed to be in control however, as Greenough forced sophomore Andrea Ortega to fly out to center. Gilleland had other plans however, as she stole second base and reached third on an error by centerfielder Simone Hubbard. Things began to unravel for Greenough and the Aggies, as Greenough walked the Bulldogs pitcher Michelle Moses. Two hits and one error later, the Bulldogs racked up four runs to sink the Ags.
Despite the late-game breakdown, Aggie head coach Carissa Millsap-Kalaba said she was impressed with the Aggie ace.
“Greenough did a fantastic job. She held them (Bulldogs) to one run till the bottom of the sixth. They (Bulldogs) didn’t even get their first base-hit until the fourth,” Millsap-Kalaba said.
On Friday afternoon, the Aggies held the Bulldogs scoreless until a three-run fourth inning. Freshman Tina Ferguson hit a homer to start a late rally, but the rally cut short when senior Rachel Evans struck-out looking. Millsap-Kalaba said that not swinging at good pitches has been a problem for the Aggie squad as of late.
“They (Bulldogs) threw balls right over the plate for us and we didn’t swing. We had missed opportunities,” Millsap-Kabala said.
The Aggies will take a break from WAC play next week as they face the University of Utah for a doubleheader April, 13. Millsap-Kabala said the Aggies will need to work on being more opportunistic and take advantages of hitter’s pitches that come their way.
– ty.d.hus@aggiemail.usu.edu