Box Score

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -

DePaul 8, Utah State 6

Utah State 18, Valparaiso 4

Utah State softball opened its final presason tournament Saturday, splitting a pair of games. The Aggies first fell to DePaul, 8-6, before ending the day with an 18-4 win over Valparaiso.

The 18 runs scored by the Aggies against the Crusaders are the most Utah State has scored in a single game since at least the 2001 season. The program record for runs in a game is 24, set against the College of Eastern Utah on April 22, 1980. Utah State tallied 20 hits in the win over Valpo, the most in a game in head coach Steve Johnson's tenure.

Junior pitchers April Brown and Alleyah Armendariz split the time in the circle in the first game of the morning. Together, the two allowed 10 hits and eight runs while walking three batters. Freshman Katie Schroeder made the start against Valpo, allowing six hits and two runs and striking out four batters. Senior Noelle Johnson threw the final inning, adding one more strikeout to the day.

With the split, Utah State moves to 7-9 on the season.

DePaul didn't waste much time getting started offensively Saturday, as the Blue Demons picked up six runs in the bottom of the first inning. Highlighted by a grand slam, DePaul jumped out to an early lead, adding a pair of runs off USU errors in the final at-bats.

The Aggies got six runners on base in the first four innings, but weren't able to get on the board until the top of the fifth. Less than a week after hitting her first-career home run, senior Kirstyn Namba got the first USU run of the day with an out-of-the-park hit to left center. Senior outfielder Sarah Chow followed with a double to the same spot, scoring next on a single from junior shortstop Sarina Jaramillo. Senior first baseman Paxton Provost then added another single to score Jaramillo.

After DePaul added one more run in the bottom of the inning, the Aggies struck again in the sixth. Junior catcher Sydney Hart hit a home run, bringing one additional runner in. The Blue Demons answered with their final run in the bottom of the sixth. Utah State had one final chance in the seventh, led by a home run from Provost. The Aggies weren't quite able to catch DePaul though, ending the first game of the day.

The second game of Saturday's tournament action was all about Utah State. The Aggies were first on the board against the Crusaders with two runs in the top of the first. In the lead-off spot, Namba doubled to left center, followed by a single from Chow. Chow then stole second, while the pair advanced on an error on the DePaul third baseman, scoring Namba. Valpo also opened its first inning with a double, picking up its first run on a single that followed.

The Aggies opened the third inning getting three straight batters on base, including doubles from freshman third baseman Bailee Trapp and Namba. Trapp was able to score on Namba's hit, while Namba scored on a double from Jaramillo. Freshman designated player Bailey Lewis then singled up the middle to push Jaramillo across the plate.

The Utah State offense exploded in the third inning, when the Aggies added 10 runs to their total. USU was able to capitalize on hot bats and opponent errors to jump out to its biggest lead of the season. The Aggies went through the full batting order in the third, while five players made it to the plate twice. Utah State tallied six hits in the inning, highlighted by a double from Hart and a home run from Lewis. Valparaiso added one run in the bottom of the inning, scoring on an RBI double.

The Aggies continued to add to the scoreboard in the fourth, as junior Kylie-Rose Dickson scored on a single from junior second baseman Victoria Saucedo. In the top of the fifth, USU picked up its final two runs of the day, with runs from Armendariz and freshman outfielder Mia Maher. The two scored on another double from Jaramillo, the team's sixth double of the day. The Crusaders added a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth, but the comeback attempt was halted with a run-rule.

Utah State continues Rebel Classic action tomorrow with a pair of games. The Aggies will have a rematch against DePaul at 10 a.m. (MT), followed by a third game this season against Santa Clara at 1:30 p.m.

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