April 22, 2006
Final Stats
LOGAN, Utah - - Quela Leonhardt and Sara Fleming hit two home runs apiece in the doubleheader against San Jose State here on Saturday, but Utah State was unable to pick up its first WAC win as San Jose State swept the Aggies 9-8 and 3-2.
Utah State dropped to 5-35 overall and 0-11 in the WAC with the losses, and has now lost 13 consecutive games. San Jose State improved to 21-20 overall and 10-4 in conference play with the wins.
In game one, Utah State's Leslie Higley started the game off with two straight strike outs but had a hard time securing the final out. San Jose State's Brittany McConnell started the two-out rally with a single, and Carlie Hall provided the dagger as she hit a grand slam home run to give the Spartans an early 5-0 lead.
Leonhardt wasted no time in starting a rally for the Aggies as she led off the bottom of the inning with a solo home run. Whitnie Ray then kept things alive with a double to right field, and Sara Fleming followed with a two-run shot to cut the Spartans lead to 5-3.
The Aggies would rally again in the in the fourth as they loaded the bases with no outs. After scoring two runs on a ground out and a sacrifice fly, Leonhardt stepped to the plate and launched a pitch deep over the left field fence for her second home run of the day. Utah State left the inning with a 5-4 lead thanks to Leonhardt's fourth home run of the season.
Utah State added another run in the sixth and took an 8-5 lead into the seventh inning. However, for the second straight game the Aggies could not hold a late inning lead against the Spartans as San Jose State scored four runs in the top of the inning to come from behind to win.
Higley recorded a career-high eight strike outs in the loss as she pitched seven innings, allowing 10 hits and nine runs.
The tone would change in the second game and as the two teams combined to score only five runs. The Spartans took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth when Fleming connected with her second big fly of the day to tie the game. With the two dingers, Fleming passed Jennifer Power for second place in career home runs by an Aggie as she has 19 home runs as an Aggie.
San Jose State would add a run in the seventh on an infield hit, and took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the inning. The Aggies would load the bases with two outs, but were unable to capitalize as Courtney Lewis got Fleming to pop up to end the game.
Fleming went 3-6 on the day with two home runs, and three RBI, while Leonhardt went 3-7 with two home runs and three RBI. Jessica Garnett also went deep as she hit a home run in the Aggies 3-2 loss.
Utah State will return to action on Friday, April 28 when it hosts New Mexico State at 3 p.m. The Aggies will then conclude its home schedule on April 29 with a doubleheader against New Mexico State.
