Women’s softball drops games against some of nation’s best teams
The Utah State University softball team opened its season, facing off against several nationally-ranked opponents in the 2002 Fiesta Bowl Tournament in Tempe, Ariz.
The Aggies lost their first game to New Mexico State University, 8-2 on Friday.
NMSU took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and then added insurance runs in the second, third and fourth to pull away with the victory.
In her first college appearance, freshman pitcher Lindsay Janssen started for Utah State, allowing four earned runs in four innings.
“Lindsay took her licks and just kept coming back,” Head Coach Debbie Bilbao said. “She did well for a freshman and I think we’re going to see the benefits of her experience down the road.”
After the loss, the Aggies had to go out and face the host team, No. 8 Arizona State University.
Falling behind 13-1, the Aggies rallied to score three runs in the top of the fifth, but it was not enough. The game was called in the bottom of the inning with ASU up 13-4.
At the plate, the Aggies were led by catcher Breanne Smith, who batted 2 for 4 on the day, and Stephanie Vaserhely who went 2 for 6. Against ASU, Vaserhely hit her second career homerun.
“Stephanie had the best day for us overall,” Bilbao said. “She made a couple great defensive plays.”
Saturday, the Aggies played two more games, and though they dropped both, Bilbao saw improvement in the team.
In the first game the University of Kansas scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth to go up 8-0. The game was called in the bottom of the fifth.
Kelly Leos and Casey Smith had the only two hits for the Aggies in the game. Smith also had her first stolen base of the year.
In their second game of the day, the Aggies lost a one-run game to No. 17 Southwest Texas State University.
The game was scoreless until Southwest Texas scored a single run in the top of the third – the only run of the game. Southwest Texas held Utah State to only two hits to hold on for the 1-0 win.
Smith doubled and stole a base in the game. Leos picked up her second hit of the day for the Aggies.
On the mound, Janssen got her second start of the tournament and pitched a complete game, allowing only five hits.
“Lindsay Janssen did a phenomenal job today,” Bilbao said. “She got out of some tremendous two-out situations, and Heather Curtis also had some phenomenal plays for us on the field that were really crucial for our team.”
Bilbao said, “We came miles today as a team. We struggled in the Kansas game to control the two-out situations, but in the Southwest Texas game we had some great individual performances that kept us right in the game.”
Sunday, in their final game of the tournament, the Aggies played the No. 2 University of California Los Angeles.
With UCLA up 9-0, the game was called in the sixth inning.
Utah State is 0-5 to start the season.
The Aggies will resume play Friday, Saturday and Sunday when they travel to San Diego State University to compete in their second tournament of the season.