May 3, 2008
Box Score
HONOLULU - Utah State softball fell 5-2 and 3-0 to Hawai'i at a warm and breezy Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium here Saturday afternoon. The Aggies tied up game one at 2-all only to see the Rainbow Wahine push three across in the sixth for the final score, and game two saw USU get shutout for only the sixth time this season.
The Aggies fall to 14-31 on the season and 2-14 in Western Athletic Conference action, while the Rainbow Wahine improve to 35-17 overall and 9-7 in league play. USU is now 16-25 all-time against UH.
The Rainbow Wahine struck first in game one and scored two runs in the bottom of the first before the Aggies put a one spot on the board in the top of the third. USU junior left fielder Mikey Price led off the inning with a single to left and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Price scored on a single up the middle by sophomore right fielder Nicole Rupp.
Utah State tied it up at 2-all in the visitor half of the fifth as sophomore center fielder Emily Reilly smacked a double to center to start off the inning and Rupp advanced her on a sacrifice bunt to second. Reilly scored on an error by the shortstop with two outs while senior third baseman Amy Schaible flew out to right field to end the inning. Hawai'i scored three runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth to notch the win.
USU junior pitcher Lindsey Benson struck out two in six innings of work, allowing nine hits on five runs as she falls to 13-20 on the year. UH's Jessica Morton improves to 6-3 overall as she pitched three and two thirds of a inning, yielding one run one four hits to go along with two strikeouts.
The Aggies were led by Price at the plate, who went three-for-three, as USU outhit UH, 11-9. Rupp, Reilly and freshman shortstop Kelley Kaneshiro were all two-for-three in their respective at-bats.
UH started off game two with two runs in the first and one more in the second, as Hawai'i pitcher Katie Robinson pitched a no-hitter through six innings before senior third baseman Amy Schaible pushed a single out to right field to lead off the seventh. Freshman catcher Shasta Tyteca struck out looking, while sophomore right fielder Michelle Workman walked and senior shortstop Tara Evans hit a single to left to round out the Aggies two hits. Robinson struck out the last two batters to end the game.
Utah State concludes conference regular season action against Hawai'i on Sunday, May 4 at 6 p.m. (MT).
