SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Utah State softball (5-7) split its doubleheader against Saint Mary's (5-9) at the Silicon Valley Classic I on Saturday as the Aggies won 6-5 in extra innings in Game 1 before falling 8-6 in Game 2.
 
The Aggies were led by junior center fielder Mazie Macfarlane with four hits and four RBIs on the day.
 
In Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader, Saint Mary's scored one run in the top of the second and four more in the top of the fifth to lead 5-0.
 
The Aggies stepped up in the bottom of the sixth with a four-run inning to trim the Gaels' lead to 5-4. Freshman Claire Raley got the scoring started for the Aggies after coming in as a pinch runner for senior shortstop Lexi Orozco. Raley advanced to second as senior first baseman Bri Lerma reached first on a fielder's choice. Senior right fielder Sydnee Smith doubled to center field to score Raley. Following a Saint Mary's pitching change, freshman designated player Taryn Edds and freshman third baseman Claudia Medina recorded back-to-back RBI singles to bring home Lerma and Smith, respectively. Two at-bats later, Macfarlane hit a shot down the left-field line to plate Edds for the Aggies' fourth run of the inning. USU loaded the bases on the next at-bat, but a pop up to second ended the frame.
 
With the count at 2-2 to lead off in the bottom of the seventh, Orozco hit a solo bomb to right field to tie things up at 5-apiece.
 
Both teams had a runner placed on second in the eighth frame for their respective at-bats. Sophomore pitcher Jessica Stewart stayed cool in the circle for the Aggies as she struck out all three Gaels in order to end the top of the inning.
 
Edds was placed on second for the Aggies in the bottom of the inning. She advanced to third after back-to-back USU ground outs, then scored on a Macfarlane single through the left side for the walk-off 6-5 win.
 
Senior Kapri Toone made the start in the circle for the Aggies, where she pitched 4.1 innings. She was relieved by junior Alyssa Millemon, who pitched 1.2 innings and recorded two walks. Stewart came in for the final 2.0 innings to earn the win after recording four strikeouts.
 
Jimenez tripled in the top of the first and scored on an Orozco single up the middle in Game 2 of the doubleheader to give USU an early 1-0 lead.
 
The Aggies put up two more runs in the top of the third after sophomore left fielder Libbie Hawker singled up the middle, stole second and scored on a Macfarlane single. Macfarlane made her way around the bases on a couple of fielder's choices and scored on an Orozco sacrifice fly to give Utah State the 3-0 lead. The top of the frame ended with a line out to third.
 
The bottom of the third proved to be big for Saint Mary's as the Gaels scored five runs to take a 5-3 lead.
 
Utah State responded with three runs of its own in the top of the fourth to lead 6-5. Medina got the scoring started for the Aggies in the fourth after reaching on a fielder's choice and advancing to second on a Hawker single through the right side. Macfarlane singled up the middle and advanced to second on a throw to score Medina and put Hawker on third. Two at-bats later, Jimenez hit a two-RBI single to right field to plate both Macfarlane and Hawker. Orozco drew a walk to put two USU runners on base, but the Aggie run would end there as the top of the frame ended with a strikeout.
 
Saint Mary's tied it up at 6-each in the bottom of fourth and scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to lead 8-6. Neither team scored in the next 1.5 innings as the Gaels won 8-6.
 
Stewart made the start for the Aggies in the circle, where she pitched for 2.1 innings. She was relieved by junior Nya Laing, who had one walk in her 1.2 innings of work. Laing was then relieved by freshman Mia Reynolds, who had one strikeout in her 2.0 innings pitched.  
 
Utah State concludes its run at the Silicon Valley Classic I on Sunday, Feb. 27, as the Aggies take on Cal Poly (0-8) at 10 a.m. (MT).
 
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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