POCATELLO, Idaho –  Utah State softball opened its week of competition on the road Wednesday, falling to border-foe Idaho State, 9-6. 

With the loss, Utah State falls to 11-18 on the year, while Idaho State improves to 14-17 with the win. 

Utah State didn't waste any time getting on the board Wednesday, taking a 2-0 lead before Idaho State got a turn at bat. Sophomore outfielder Stephanie Reed earned the first hit of the game. She was able to advance to third on an error as the Bengals tried to catch her stealing second. After freshman shortstop Kenizie Bolin walked, a sac fly from freshman shortstop Lexi Orozco brought Reed home. The Aggies added one more baserunner on a Bengal error before sophomore third baseman Kennedy Hira brought Bolin home on a single through the right side. In the bottom of the inning, Idaho State cut USU's lead in half with a solo home run. 

A pair of home runs gave the Aggies some insurance in the top of the third inning. Orozco hit her seventh homer of the season with one out on the board. Senior first baseman Bailee Trapp then drew a walk, scoring on a no-doubter from redshirt freshman designated player Bri Lerma to put USU up, 5-1. The Bengals again tried to cut into the Aggie advantage in the bottom of the inning, as they drew a bases-loaded walk. 

After Utah State was retired in order in the top of the fourth, Idaho State's offense came alive in the home half. The Aggies made the out on the lead-off batter, but struggled through the next at-bats. Six-straight batters reached base for the Bengals, doing so on three hits, a walk, an error and a hit-by-pitch. ISU brought runs across on the hit-by-pitch and error to tie the score, then took the 7-5 lead on a two-run single. Utah State made its second pitching change of the inning then, before closing out the inning. The Bengals worked through the batting order, with the final out coming against the same batter as the first. 

Idaho State brought another run in in the fifth, as a runner scored from second on a single. The Aggies got back into the game offensively in the sixth. Junior outfielder Riley Plogger hit an off-the-wall double, followed by a single from Reed. The Aggies' second sac fly of the game came from Bolin, scoring Plogger. Unfortunately, the Bengals continued their scoring streak in the bottom half of the inning, plating one last run on a pair of singles. 

Utah State opened the seventh with a runner reaching on an error, but a double play and a second groundout ended the game. 

In all, Utah State and Idaho State finished the game with nine hits apiece, while the Bengals had three errors to the Aggies' one. All three USU pitchers saw time in the circle, with freshman Kapri Toone making the start. Together the three walked five batters and did not have any strikeouts. 

The Aggies return home this weekend to host New Mexico for a three-game mountain West series. USU and the Lobos will open the weekend on Friday, April 5, at 4 p.m. The two teams will also play at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, before wrapping up the series on Sunday, April 7, at noon. 

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.