Feb. 13, 2009

Box Score

SAN DIEGO - Utah State softball earned its first win against a ranked opponent when the Aggies stopped No. 30 UC Santa Barbara, 6-5, before falling to No. 10/7 Washington, 16-3, in five innings.

Junior Kate Greenough improved to 2-1 after allowing five earned runs in six innings, while senior Lindsey Benson earned her first save of the season as the Aggies out-slugged the Gauchos. Greenough struck out one and walked three, while allowing eight hits.

The Aggies struck first, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning. Junior Nicole Rupp walked to lead off the inning, while freshman Gina Rawls reached on a bunt single. Rupp moved from first to third on the play after a throwing error by pitcher Tami Weston. After Rawls stole second, senior Jeanine Hernandez tripled to right field to score both Rupp and Rawls and put the Aggies up, 2-0. Junior Simone Hubbard grounded out, and sophomore Megan McDonald struck out to end the inning.

Utah State took a 6-0 lead after scoring four runs in the top of the fourth. Senior Aubrie Stroman singled to right field to start the inning, while newcomer Jasmine Harris moved the runner along with a single to left field. USU got its third-straight hit, when freshman Rayna Bradshaw doubled to left, scoring Stroman and advancing Harris to third. The Aggies took a 4-0 lead when junior Emily Reilly singled to center for USU's fourth hit of the game. After a Nicole Rupp single and a pitching change by the Gauchos, USU scored its final run of the inning on a wild pitch by MeLinda Matsumoto.

UC Santa Barbara fought back, cutting the Aggies' lead to 6-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, Jessica Beristianos singled to left. She would eventually score on a ground out by Keilani Jennings. She would come around to score after Priscilla Perez singled to center field.

UCSB cut the lead to 6-4 with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. The Gauchos came within one run in the bottom of the sixth, cutting the lead to 6-5. In the sixth inning, Perez doubled to left, and Jackie Conlin pinch ran for her. Christine Ramos drove in Conlin with a sacrifice fly.

Benson would come in to pitch the seventh inning and preserve the one-run lead for the Aggies.

Utah State did not fare as well against No. 10/7 Washington, falling to 16-3 in five innings.

Once again, Utah State struck first scoring two runs in the top of the second. Bradshaw singled up the middle and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rachel Evans. Bradshaw scored on a single by Reilly. Stroman who reached on a walk eventually moved to third on a passed by ball Huskie pitcher Felecia Harris and scored on an error by third baseman Niki Williams.

Washington took control scoring two in the bottom of the second and six in the bottom of the third. In the third, the Huskies scored six runs on seven hits and one Aggie error. The inning was highlighted by a two-RBI single by Ashlyn Watson.

The Aggies got one run back in the top of the fourth. Junior Rachel Evans doubled to left field and advanced to third on an Aubrie Stroman ground out. Sophomore Shasta Tyteca drove in Evans with a sacrifice fly and the Aggies were down, 8-3.

The Huskies exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the fourth to put the game away. Six hits provided eight runs due in part to a Kimi Pohlman grand slam.

Lindsey Benson replaced starter Stacey Ellingsworth who allowed 10 earned runs in 3.1 innings. Benson allowed three earned runs in 0.2 innings pitched.