USU looks to keep streak intact
It’s been a sudden turnaround.
After starting the season 0-11 in the Big West Conference, the Utah State University softball team has won its last four conference games, including a tripleheader sweep of California State University Northridge, to improve to 4-11.
With the wins the Aggies have moved ahead of the University of California Riverside and into a seventh-place tie with Sacramento State University.
Up next for the Aggies will be the University of California Santa Barbara.
Head Coach Debbie Bilbao said she hopes the team will be able to use the momentum from playing Northridge to finish out the season strong.
“They feel very confident about what they accomplished,” she said. “Right now I really want them to focus on Northridge and how we did against them and have that mindset going in to Santa Barbara.”
Utah State will play UCSB in a doubleheader Friday at 3 p.m. and will finish the series Saturday at 1 p.m.
Santa Barbara is currently in fourth place in the conference with an 8-7 record.
Following the games at Santa Barbara, the Aggies will finish out their season with seven games after the end of the spring semester.
Bilbao said playing after the end of the semester isn’t a problem and may actually be advantageous for the team.
“I remember playing into late May and one of these years we’re going to be playing into late May,” she said. “That means you’re going to regionals; you’re going to the World Series. Actually, it will probably be great for the kids because you’re out of school, [and] don’t have to study on the road and everything is a lot lighter for them.
“If anything it will be a relief for our team,” she said.
The Aggies will host California Polytechnic State University, May 4 at 4 p.m. on LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Field. The two teams will meet again on May 5 at noon for a doubleheader.
“Cal Poly is another great team,” Bilbao said. “[Head Coach] Lisa [Boyer] at Cal Poly does a great job with her program. She does a great job and they’re another top-notch program.”
The series against Cal Poly will be the final home games of the season for Utah State as well as being senior weekend.
“We’re thrilled to have senior weekend on that weekend and have it be a great sendoff for our seniors.” Bilbao said. “They’ve done a great job in our program and just really have been tremendous athletes, students and leaders in our community up here in Logan. I’m very proud. I’m privileged to coach this group of seniors.”
Following the series against Cal Poly, the Aggies will play a non-conference game against the University of Utah on May 7 before finishing up the season at the University of California Riverside, May 10 and 11.
“We have the opportunity to do some great things, go out and have an opportunity to take all these teams,” Bilbao said. “If we do that we can finish in the middle of the conference potentially and that’s kind of what our kids are aiming at right now.”
Bilbao said the chemistry has come together for the Aggies and will help to finish out the season.
“I think chemistry is probably the biggest part of it – getting all the kids on the same page,” she said. “If we have the same kind of intensity and good chemistry as we did against Northridge I anticipate we’ll do fairly well in the rest of our schedule. Hopefully we’ll make it happen.”
Bilbao said she is not looking too far ahead though and is focusing on the next series at Santa Barbara.
“We need to get ready to play this weekend, and that’s what we’re focusing on,” she said. “Our kids should be really motivated and feel great about what they’ve accomplished over a short amount of time.”