The Aggies are home at Johnson Field after a month on the road
The Aggies already played 25 games on the season; they’ve traveled all over the Southwestern United States, participating in tournaments in Southern California, Arizona and Southern Utah. However, there is one very familiar place they have yet to play in this season – Logan.
After playing for nearly two months away from home, the Utah State University softball team will open its home campaign this weekend against the Niners of Long Beach State University at LaRee and LaGrand Johnson field. The Aggies and 49ers will play twice Saturday, starting at 1 p.m. Play will conclude Sunday at 1 p.m.
“We need to go out there and play our best ball to beat them,” said USU head coach Pam McCreesh. “We’re going to have to be clicking on all three cylinders.”
Although LBSU is having a somewhat disappointing season for its standard (they are 14-19 this season), McCreesh said the 49ers always get stronger as the season progresses. LBSU has won its last five games, including a three-game road sweep of Big West Conference foe Cal Poly.
In order for the Aggies to emerge victorious against the 49ers, they will have to play with confidence and emotion, McCreesh said. LBSU, the defending BWC champions, have won the last five meetings between the two teams, including all three meetings last season.
“You can always count on Long Beach to be a strong team, especially defensively,” McCreesh said. “Tradition bodes well for them.”
Like the Aggies, the 49ers have struggled to find consistency at the plate as it has a team batting average of .214 (USU hits .180). However, the 49er bats were alive and well last Sunday against Cal Poly when freshman catcher Arleigh Thorp and first baseman Darcey Brown combined for a 7-for-7.
More than anything, outfielder Markean Neal said the Aggies are excited to play on their home field and are ready to show people how they are capable of playing.
“I think everyone is ready to show everybody else what we can do,” she said.
This weekend’s homestand will be the first game of the week for the Aggies. USU and the University of Utah were scheduled to play a game Wednesday in Salt Lake City, only to have the game canceled due to rain. That game will instead be played April 4 at 3 p.m. at Ute Field.