Feb. 9, 2006

Final Stats

TEMPE, Ariz. - Utah State's softball team opened the 2006 season with an 8-0 loss against Arizona State in six innings here on Thursday. The loss marks the fifth straight year that the Aggies have lost their season opener.

Arizona State's Desiree Serrano no-hit the Aggies as she struckout 14-of-19 batters she faced. After a walk to Quela Leonhardt in the first inning, Serrano kept the Aggies off the bases the rest of the game.

Leslie Higley took the loss for the Aggies as she gave up nine hits and six earned runs in five innings. Higley held the Sun Devil's hitless in the first inning but gave up three runs in the second, including a solo homerun to Rhiannon Baca. ASU plated one run in the third and scored in every inning after.

USU returns to action tomorrow at the Kajikawa Classic with back-to-back games against seventh-ranked Stanford at 2:00 p.m., and against Cal State Fullerton at 4:30 pm. The Aggies will then face 15th-ranked Oregon State and 21st-ranked Nebraska on Saturday before closing the tournament with a rematch against host Arizona State on Sunday.