Box Score

CEDAR CITY, Utah -

Utah State 7, Southern Utah 3

Southern Utah 9, Utah State 7

In the first head-to-head games of the season, Utah State softball split a doubleheader at Southern Utah Wednesday. The Aggies took the first game with a 7-3 advantage, but the Thunderbirds took the later matchup, 9-7.

With the split, Utah State sits at 8-17 on the season as it heads into the first Mountain West games this weekend. With its win and loss, Southern Utah improves to 7-15.

Junior outfielder Sarah Chow had a particularly strong day for the Aggies, tallying four hits and four runs, batting .444 between the two games. Sophomore first baseman Paxton Provost was tops defensively, with 14 putouts on the day. All three Aggie pitchers split Wednesday's innings where junior Noelle Johnson picked up her seventh win of the year in the early game.

"Today is the perfect example of what has to change as we continue to build this program and learn how to win," said USU head coach Steve Johnson. "Outside of the starting pitchers, the exact same lineups took the field in both games with two very different outcomes. We played well in the first game and had moments in the second."

The Aggies opened the day on a high note, scoring in five of the seven innings in the first game. Chow was first to put Utah State on the board, scoring on a single from senior shortstop Jolene Koons. Koons then crossed the plate on a sac fly from sophomore second baseman Victoria Saucedo. Southern Utah answered with a pair of its own runs in the bottom of the first, when Kaitlin Williams homered to right field, bringing in one additional runner.

USU got the lead back in its favor for a four-inning stretch, holding the T-Birds without a run until the bottom of the sixth. A single from senior outfielder Hailey Froton gave Chow her first run of the day in the second inning. In the third, Chow singled to bring both senior third baseman Nicole Arata and Johnson across the plate. The lead was then extended in the fourth, when Froton hit her first home run of the year.

After both teams went 1-2-3 for the fifth inning, SUU was able to put up another run in the bottom of the sixth. Sara Park tripled to left field, running home on the next batter. Up 6-3 heading into the final inning of the game, the Aggies added one final score to secure the win. T-Bird pitcher Ashley Ostler walked three USU batters, bringing Saucedo home.

Johnson pitched the entirety of the first game, improving to 7-6 on the season. She allowed eight hits with the three runs, striking out five batters.

After a quick break, the teams returned to the diamond for the second game. The Aggies struck first again, putting two runs on the board in the top of the first inning. A Froton single brought Chow in, while Provost flied out to right field to advance Koons to home.

However, the Thunderbirds took the lead early, scoring seven runs in their first two innings. Three of the four runs in the second came off SUU singles, with a fourth scoring on a wild pitch from sophomore Alleyah Armendariz. After another three runs in the bottom of the second, freshman Jordyn McCracken entered the game, relieving Armendariz.

Both teams went two innings without scoring, before the Aggies added another trio of runs in the fifth. A Koons triple helped Chow to the plate, followed by a Froton double that scored Koons. Froton then advanced, scoring on a Provost single. USU held the T-Birds for another inning, heading into the sixth trailing, 7-5.

Utah State evened the score at seven in the sixth inning with runs from senior outfielder Sarah Vasquez and junior catcher Kirstyn Namba. Unfortunately for the Aggies, Southern Utah responded with another two runs in the bottom of the inning. A double from Kylee Wolf brought two runners home, putting the lead back in the T-Birds' favor. The first two batters for the Aggies in the seventh singled, but the next three were out in their at bats, ending the game.

Between Armendariz and McCracken, the Aggie pitchers allowed 15 hits with the nine runs, while striking out three batters and walking another four. McCracken was credited the loss, falling to 0-3 on the year as a relief pitcher.

"What doesn't show up in the box scores are the little things that cost us the second game in mental errors, not knowing the situation, the inability to shut down the other team after we score in the top half of the inning, bad approaches at the plate and lack of adjustments. All of these things are mental and our biggest opponent is the one between our ears," Johnson said. "We have to learn to be more consistent with all aspects of our game, but especially the mental side."

The Aggies continue action this weekend, opening both the home and Mountain West portions of its season. Utah State hosts New Mexico in a three-game series, beginning Friday, March 20. Action from LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Field is set to begin at 3 p.m. The series will continue on Saturday, March 19 at 1 p.m. and Sunday, March 22 at 12 p.m.

Fans can follow the Aggie softball program on Twitter, @USUSoftball, on Facebook at facebook.com/USUSoftball or on Instagram, @ususoftball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at facebook.com/USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.