Softball team will need offense vs. Utah in Salt Lake City today
Last weekend against Long Beach State University, the USU women’s softball team was able to collect 20 hits in the three-game series, raising its season batting average from .180 to .188.
When the Aggies travel to Salt Lake City to take on the University of Utah (21-15-1 on the season) on Wednesday, they will be looking to improve on hitting the ball with runners in scoring position. Wednesday’s game – a game originally scheduled on March 28 but was rained out – will begin at 3 p.m. at Ute Field.
“I think if we start hitting more when we have runners on, we’ll be OK,” said sophomore second baseman Danielle Rodriguez.
The Aggies just need to stopping putting too much pressure on themselves, said USU head coach Pam McCreesh.
“I tell them to go up to the plate with the mentality that there is no one on base,” she said.
The reigning Mountain West Conference champions and pre-season favorites to repeat are averaging nearly five runs a game and have three players who boast batting averages over .340.
Those three players, particularly sophomore Niki Hayhurst, have been the opposing pitcher’s nightmare in recent weeks. In the Utes’ last game against Colorado State University, Hayhurst tied two school records when she belted three homers and drove in seven runs.
Junior third baseman Lyndsey Trevis leads the Utes with a .410 batting average, while freshman Melissa Stanke leads the team with 11 home runs and bats .348. As a team, the Utes have hit 33 round trippers, compared to four by the Aggies.
For the Aggies, freshman center fielder Casey Smith leads the team in batting average (.287) and hits (23). USU has raised its batting average considerably during Big West Conference play, as both Smith and Heather Curtis bat over .310.