Softball team drops 1 to Cal State Fullerton
The Utah State softball team took two of three games against Cal State Fullerton this weekend in California.
The Aggies took the first game 3-2, lost the second 6-0 but beat the Titans for the final win 11-4.
The first game started slow with no runs until the top of the third inning.
Aggie Michelle Vlahos was walked and she scored after a double from USU’s Sara Fleming and an error by the Titans.
For the rest of the game, it was back and forth with few runs from either side. A homerun from Quela Leonhardt gave the Ags their second run and pinch runner Shawn Bjarnson scored the final run for the Ags during the first game.
After two no-entry innings from either team, Fullerton came out of nowhere to score a homer in the bottom of the third.
After another no-run inning from the Aggies, Fullerton stepped up again. With three on base and one out, the Titan’s singled up the middle to score another run, bringing the score up to 2-0.
In the sixth inning after the Aggies were again stopped by the Titan’s defense, Fullerton took the win from a four-run rally.
Three singles, two outs and two RBI’s from CSF brought in USU pitcher Heather Straight for Erica Hancock, but she couldn’t stop the Fullerton bats.
After four more runs from the Titans and three Aggie outs in the top of the seventh inning the game was over, each team with a win on the day.
Sunday’s game began early with a homer to left field hit by Fleming in the first inning.
But CSF was unable to score after two ground outs and a line out to third base.
In the second inning the Aggies were able to load the bases. After Vlahos was struck out, Fleming was hit by a wild pitch allowing one runner in for a 2-0 Aggies lead. USU was able to score one more run before the end of the inning.
CSF was not stopped by the lead, however, and came forward with another rally.
A Titan was hit by a pitch loading the bases and CSF’s Tiffany Hoff, doubled to right center sending in all three on base, to bring the score up to 3-4.
An Aggie defense and pitcher change, Straight for Garnett, in the bottom of the second stopped the rest of the Titans from reaching home.
The Utah State defense stopped the Titans for the rest of the game and the Ags continued to put runs on the board.
After another rally in the seventh inning the Aggies took home the win. With two outs against them in the top of the seventh inning Utah State’s right fielder Vlahos hit a double to start the three-run-rally.
Fleming singled up the middle to advance Vlahos to third base.
Hatch then came out with a homer to left field, scoring three runs to send the score to 11-4.
USU next faces BYU in a doubleheader on Monday.
-ranaebang@cc.usu.edu
Utah State´s Quela Henderson-Leonhardt makes a throw from her knees in a game against Colorado State in Logan. (Photo by John Zsiray)