SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Utah State softball (10-13) recorded an 8-5 comeback victory at Santa Clara (12-17) in the final game of the Silicon Valley Classic II on Sunday.
 
Sophomore left fielder Libbie Hawker led the Aggies with three hits against the Broncos, while junior center fielder Mazie Macfarlane led with two RBIs. Defensively, freshman catcher Taryn Edds led the team with eight putouts.
 
Macfarlane got things going for USU early with a lead-off home run to left center in the top of the first. It would be the only Aggie run through the first five innings as Santa Clara took a 4-1 lead after recording a run in both the bottom of the second and third innings, as well as two runs in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Utah State trimmed the lead to 4-3 in the top of the sixth. Edds got the scoring started for the Aggies in the frame after she doubled to left field. Junior Tyler Thornton came in as a pinch hitter and singled to center field and advanced to second on the throw to score Edds. Thornton advanced to third on an Aggie ground out and scored on a single from senior Bri Lerma.
 
USU loaded the bases in the top of the seventh after Macfarlane drew a walk and freshman pinch hitter/shortstop Giselle Gonzalez and senior shortstop/first baseman Lexi Orozco each were hit by a pitch. With two outs, Thornton reached on an error that plated Macfarlane and Gonzalez to give Utah State a 5-4 edge heading into the bottom of the frame.
 
A Bronco RBI single in the bottom of the seventh tied the game at 5-apiece to force an eighth inning.
 
Sophomore second baseman Zaia Castruita was placed on second for the Aggies in the top of the eighth. Santa Clara's defense put away the first two USU batters, but Utah State scored a run in each of the next three at-bats.
 
Hawker singled to left field and advanced to second on the throw to plate Castruita and give USU the 6-5 advantage. Hawker then scored after Macfarlane doubled to left center. Macfarlane scored the final run of the game on a Gonzalez single to left field.
 
The Aggie defense put away the Bronco batters in order in the bottom of the frame for the 8-5 victory.
 
Freshman Mia Reynolds made the start in the circle for Utah State, pitching 4.1 innings and recording four strikeouts and one walk. She was relieved by senior Kapri Toone who recorded the final two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Toone was then relieved by sophomore Jessica Stewart for the final 3.0 innings as Stewart struck out four Bronco batters for her third victory this season.
 
Utah State returns to Logan for the home-opening Aggie Classic on Friday, March 18, and Saturday, March 19. The Aggies will host Maine (2-12) and Idaho State (12-13) at LaRee & LeGrand Johnson Field.  
 
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.
 
– USU –