April 12, 2009

Box Score

HONOLULU - Despite losing both ends of doubleheader to Hawai`i, the Utah State softball team played well on Saturday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium in Honolulu. USU lost the first game 4-3 in 10 innings and dropped the second 3-2. In both games, the Rainbow Wahine overcame deficits to take the win.

USU is now 8-28 and falls to 1-8 in Western Athletic Conference play, while Hawai`i evens out its record 20-20 and 8-4 in WAC action. The Aggies have now lost six-straight games.

Game one was the fifth extra inning game of the season for the Aggies and the first since a 6-3 nine-inning win over Cal State Bakersfield on March 9. USU is now 1-5 in extra frames this season.

In game one, USU started strong scoring two quick runs off of starting pitcher Courtney Baughman. With two outs, freshman Rayna Bradshaw doubled to right center. Fellow rookie Jasmine Harris got her team leading 15th RBI of the season with a single to left centerfield, scoring Bradshaw. Harris made the score 2-0 after junior Simone Hubbard drilled her first triple of the season.

Hawai`i got on the board in the bottom of the third inning. Tanisha Milca launched her eighth home run of the season and second in as many games. Milca cut the lead to 2-1 with the shot to deep centerfield. UH tied the score in the bottom of the fourth inning once again using the long ball. Audrey Andrade hit her third home run of the season and her second of the series to tie the score at 2-2.

USU re-took the lead again in the top of the fifth inning with a single run making the score 3-2. Junior Emily Reilly started the inning with a single to short rightfield. Pitcher Courtney Baughman made an error on a fielder's choice off the bat of Rachel to put runners on second and third. Nicole Rupp's single to left brought home Reilly to give USU the lead. Hawai'i switched pitchers, and Stephanie Ricketts the winner on Friday took the mound. Ricketts got out of the jam with no more harm done.

The Rainbow Wahine tied the score with a two-out single from catcher Stacey Yamada that scored pinch runner Alex Aguirre to tie the scored at 3-3. In the inning, sophomore Megan McDonald was hurt diving for a ball in leftfield.

Hawai`i ended the 10-inning affair in the bottom of the 10th inning. With one out, Audrey Andrade walked to start the rally. Traci Yoshikawa followed with a double to put runners on second and third. Greenough intentionally walked Pu'u-Warren to load the bases. Catcher Stacey Yamada ended the first game with a single to right center to score pinch runner Richie-Anne Titcomb and give UH the 4-3 win.

Kate Greenough pitched well allowing only eight hits and four runs in 9.1 innings, while striking out five. With the loss Greenough falls to 5-7.

Bradshaw was one of three Aggies to have a pair of hits in game one along with Rupp and Hubbard.

In game two, Utah State started similar to the front half of the doubleheader scoring two runs in the top of the first. Nicole Rupp started the game with her sixth double of the season. Emily Reilly followed with a bunt single that put Rupp on third. Rayna Bradshaw drove in her 15th run of the season with a single to left. An error by Rainbow Wahine shortstop Traci Yoshikawa allowed the second Aggie run to cross the plate.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Rainbow Wahine cut the lead in half with one run to make it 2-1. Game two starter Lindsey Benson hit Audrey Andrade with one out. Mikalemi Tagab-Cruz pinch hit for Andrade.

After the three runs scored by the two teams in the first inning both Benson and Ricketts settled down. Another run was not scored until the bottom of the sixth inning. Hawai`i's third home run of the day gave the Rainbow Wahine the 3-2 lead. This time the home run came off the bat of Amanda Tauali'i with one runner on and turned out to be the game-winning hit for Hawai`i.

Lindsey Benson dropped to 1-17 with the loss, while Stephanie Ricketts earned her third win of the series and improved to 14-7.

USU is back home for a non-conference twinbill with in-state foe Utah Valley on Tuesday, April 14. Admission to all home Aggie softball games is free to the public.

Game One (10 Innings)Team        R   H   EUtah State  3   8   1Hawai`i     4   8   2
Game TwoTeam        R   H   EUtah State  2   3   1Hawai`i     3   4   1