Softball welcomes UOP to Johnson Field
The homestand continues.
The Utah State University softball team, in the midst of an 11-game homestand, will host the University of the Pacific in a three-game series Friday and Saturday.
Play starts with a doubleheader Friday at 1 p.m. followed by a single game Saturday at noon.
Pacific, ranked No. 18 in the country, is third in the Big West Conference with a 7-1 record. The Tigers are 24-12 overall.
Utah State has started conference play 0-6 and is 3-28 overall.
The Tigers are led by junior outfielder Barbara Moody and senior pitcher Cindy Ball.
Moody, who leads the conference in six offensive categories, was named Big West Player of the Week on Monday.
She leads the league with a .395 batting average and 47 hits.
Ball is currently fifth all-time on the Big West Conference strikeout chart and has 156 strikeouts this season. She has won 14 times and has three saves in 27 appearances this season.
“They always have a great pitcher in Cindy Ball,” Aggie coach Debbie Bilbao said. “She’s unbelievable. She’s a strikeout pitcher.”
USU catcher Breanne Smith said, “Usually it’s easier to hit off a better pitcher. When you have a better pitcher you don’t have time to think. You know how to do it so you just get in and do it. We have to get our timing as we do with any pitcher, but there’s not really any intimidation there.”
To stay competitive against Pacific, Bilbao said the Aggies will need to focus on the same game components they have been focusing on all season.
“We’re going to have to pitch well and we’re going to have to play defense because we’re probably not going to get very many runs,” she said. “If we don’t pitch well we’re going to struggle. If we don’t play defense we’re going to struggle.”
Despite the Tigers’ ranking and statistical leaders, Bilbao said the Aggies will approach Pacific the same as they would approach any other team.
“I want our kids learning how to focus on every team the same,” she said. “That’s how you get consistent.”
Aggie first baseman Kara Foster said, “No team is more special than any other team. We just prepare the same way and we just want to come out and bring all three things to the field – pitching, defense and offense – so that’ s what we plan to do for Pacific as well.”
The Aggies may be without utility player Danielle Rodriguez due to carpal tunnel syndrome in her wrists.
Rodriguez had been playing second base, but left in the second game Friday and missed Saturday’s game against Cal State Fullerton Friday.
She has played in five-of-six conference games and is leading the Aggies with a .286 batting average in those games. Overall she is third on the team with a .243 average this season.
“I don’t know if she’ll be back,” Bilbao said. “Medically it’s not something we’re going to force. She has to be healthy to play.”
With Utah State’s recent losses, Foster said she thinks some teams may tend to overlook the Aggies.
“Pacific might, they might not,” she said. “We’re preparing for them not to. Hopefully they won’t overlook us because if they do they’re going to be in
trouble.”