Feb. 15, 2008

Final Stats

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Utah State softball started off the Campbell Cartier Classic Friday with a 4-3 win against UC Santa Barbara and then lost a nine-inning contest to Tulsa, 9-8, in the last game of the Classic, hosted by San Diego State.

The Aggies tallied their first win of the season against UCSB and stopped a 19-game losing streak, dating back to last season. With the split, USU is now 1-6 on the year, while UC Santa Barbara is 1-4 and Tulsa is 3-3 overall.

In the first game of the day, senior catcher Heather Haak hit a single up the middle in the bottom of the second to bring in junior designated player Kayla Dunn for the Aggies' first run against the Gauchos.

Senior third baseman Amy Schaible scored a run in the third frame on a single by junior first baseman Aubrie Stroman. Sophomore center fielder Emily Reilly tallied the third run of the game on an error by the UCSB right fielder. Freshman Jessica Law scored USU's fourth run after Dunn grounded to second.

On the mound, junior Lindsey Benson pitched her way out of the sixth inning but not before UCSB brought in three runs. Benson picked up her first win of the season and pitched her second complete game.

Against Tulsa, the game remained scoreless through two innings before sophomore second baseman Nicole Rupp scored on a sacrifice bunt by Reilly. Freshman left fielder Megan McDonald brought in Dunn on a sacrifice fly to right field while Stroman plated the third run of the inning on a single freshman shortstop Kelley Kaneshiro.

The Golden Hurricane responded by tallying four hits and three runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the score at 3. Tulsa tacked on two more runs in the fifth to go up, 5-3.

USU sophomore right fielder Michelle Workman hit a two-run home run with two outs in the top of the sixth, scoring Kaneshiro reached on a double.

In the top of the seventh, McDonald laced a double to deep center to bring in Reilly with two outs and Dunn was thrown out a home on the hit. Tulsa tied up the game in the bottom of the seventh on infield error.

Kaneshiro belted a two-run home run over the left field fence to score McDonald who was put on second with the extra inning rule in the eighth. The Golden Hurricane tied up the game for the fourth time with two runs in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double followed by a run-scoring single.

Tulsa scored its winning run in the bottom of the ninth, taking advantage of a wild pitch followed by the game-winning single by Christian Timmons.

The Golden Hurricane ended with 14 hits compared to nine for the Aggies, led by three by Kaneshiro as she was a triple shy of the cycle.

USU continues action in the Classic on Saturday, Feb. 16, facing Indiana at 12:30 p.m. (MT) before concluding Classic play on Sunday against host San Diego State at 3 p.m. (MT)