Feb. 28, 2009

Box Score

TEMPE, Ariz. - Despite better play, Utah State softball continues to struggle losing to Northern Colorado and South Alabama at the Diamond Devil Invitational at Farrington Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. USU fell to the Bears, 3-1, and lost to South Alabama, 5-1. With the duo of losses, the Aggies are now 3-11.

"We played much better than we did yesterday," Head coach Candi Letts said. "We played better, but we left too many players on base. You can't win if you don't score. If we play the way that we are capable of, we can play with anyone. We just need to get everything put together."

In the first game of the day, Northern Colorado avenged an earlier loss this season to the Aggies with a 3-1 win, taking advantage of Aggie errors. The Bears clawed their way to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. After Melisa Ryba was hit by a pitch, Jessica McNabb singled to short which put Ryba on third base. McNabb would steal second to put runners on second and third for Erin Wilkinson who would drive in Ryba with a ground out. Kailee Vessey would single to bring in the second running giving UNC the early 2-0 lead.

The Aggies would cut the lead in half in the top of the fifth inning. Junior Nicole Rupp reached on an error by shortstop Jessica McNabb. Freshman Jasmine Harris doubled to leftfield as Rupp advanced to third. Freshman Gina Rawls delivered a bunt single to load the bases. A fielder's choice by freshman Rayna Bradshaw would score Rupp, but both Harris and Rawls would be out on the bases to end the inning.

The Bears stretched their lead to 3-1 with a single run in the bottom of the fifth. Erin Geddis lead off the inning with an infield single. After errors by pitcher Kate Greenough and catcher Simone Hubbard, Geddis would come around to score when McNabb was hit by a pitch.

Despite out-hitting the Bears, 8-5, the Aggies managed to only have one run cross the plate. Junior Stacey Ellingsworth pitched four innings, allowing three runs. Ellingsworth fell to 1-2 with the loss.

In the second game of the day, the Aggies lost 5-1 in their first ever meeting with the Jaguars. South Alabama took the lead, scoring three runs in the top of the second inning. Tara Donaldson led off the inning with a single to right center. Following a walk by Kalin Lasseter, rightfielder Kait Chemomaz hit a three-run home run to give USA a 3-0 lead.

Utah State battled back scoring a single run in the bottom of the fourth when Gina Rawls reached on an error by second baseman Christin Crocker. Rawls moved to second on a Simone Hubbard walk. Emily Reilly loaded the bases after an error by shortstop Carolina Mendoza. Once again, the Aggies struggled plating more than one run as Rawls would score when Rachel Evans was hit by a pitch.

The only Utah State hit came in the third inning off of a single from Michelle Workman. Lindsey Benson pitched all seven innings and falls to 0-6 with the loss. South Alabama scored single runs in the top of the sixth and the top of the seventh innings to eventually pull away from the Aggies. USA would win the game 5-1.

USU is now 0-4 at the Diamond Devil Invitational also losing games to Southern Utah and No. 8 Arizona State on Friday. The Aggies will close out the tournament against a very familiar foe. Utah State will take on Western Athletic Conference rival, New Mexico State, on Sunday, March 1 at 11 a.m.

"They are a good team," Letts said of their final opponent New Mexico State. "They are off to a good start this season. They are very solid and have done some good things this season. We look at it as a way to look at what they can do for when we play them again in conference."

Game OneTeam            R   H   EUtah State      1   8   3Northern Colorado             3 5        1
Game TwoTeam            R   H   ESouth Alabama       5   8   2Utah State      1   1   2