SANTA BARBARA, California – Utah State softball (0-1) opened its 2022 campaign at the UC Santa Barbara-hosted Campus Diamond Kickoff.
 
The Aggies began the day with a 10-3 loss to North Dakota State (2-0). USU then was looking to make a comeback in its game against UCSB (0-2) as the Aggies trailed 9-6 heading into the seventh inning, but the game was halted due to darkness and will resume on Saturday.
 
USU took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first against North Dakota State after a two-run homer from senior catcher/first baseman Gabriella Jimenez. 
 
NDSU put six runs on the board in the top of the second and added two more in the top of the third to lead 8-2.
 
With one out in the bottom of the third, senior shortstop Lexi Orozco doubled and later advanced to third on a throw after a fly out to right field. Orozco then scored on a wild pitch to trim the Bison lead to 8-3 at the end of the third inning.
 
The Aggies held the Bison scoreless in the next three innings, however, a NDSU double brought in two runs in the top of the seventh to lead 10-3. USU junior outfielder Mazie Macfarlane earned a walk in the bottom of the inning, but she would be the only Aggie to get on base as North Dakota State won it, 10-3.
 
Freshman Mia Reynolds made the start for the Aggies in the circle, registering four strikeouts and three walks in her 2.2 innings of work against the Bison. Senior Kapri Toone relieved Reynolds in the top of the third and added one strikeout and two walks in her 4.1 innings pitched. 
 
Utah State trailed early in its evening game against host UC Santa Barbara as the Gauchos recorded eight runs in the bottom of the first inning. Toone again came into relieve the Aggies and she and the USU defense proceeded to put away 10 straight Gaucho batters between the first and fourth innings. 
 
Freshman third baseman Claire Raley posted an RBI single in the top of the second and sophomore second baseman Zaia Castruita had an RBI double in the top of the third to trim the UCSB lead to 8-2. Neither team scored in the fourth.
 
Macfarlane reached first on a fielder's choice in the top of the fifth. Two batters later, Orozco stepped up to the plate and homered to left field to cut the UC Santa Barbara lead to 8-4. A Gaucho player reached first on a USU error, but the Aggie defense put away the next three batters to hold UCSB scoreless in the bottom of the inning.
 
With two outs in the top of the sixth, freshman designated player Ariel Lopez hit a solo home run down the left field line. Freshman catcher Taryn Edds came in as a pinch hitter and doubled. Raley came in to pinch run and senior first baseman/outfielder Bri Lerma came in to pinch hit. Lerma singled to left field which brought Raley home to make it a two-run game at 8-6.
 
A Gaucho RBI double in the bottom of the sixth extended the UC Santa Barbara lead to 9-6 heading into the seventh. However, the game was halted due to darkness and the seventh inning will be played on Saturday.

Three Aggie pitchers saw time in the circle in the first inning with junior Alyssa Millemon getting the start for the Aggies. She was relieved by junior Nya Laing who was then relieved by Toone. Toone recorded three strikeouts and one walk in her 5.2 innings pitched in game two.
 
Utah State is back in action in the Campus Diamond Kickoff on Saturday. The Aggies will first take on North Dakota State at 10:30 a.m. (MT) and UC Santa Barbara at 12:45 p.m. (MT). The seventh inning of the Friday night USU and UCSB game will also be played on Saturday.
 
Live stats will be available via StatBroadcast.
 
For more information on the Utah State softball program, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @USUSoftball, on Facebook at USUSoftball and on Instagram at ususoftball.
 
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