Box Score LOGAN, Utah – Utah State softball (11-13) won its home opener at the Aggie Classic with an 8-7 victory over Maine (2-17) on Friday at LaRee & LeGrand Johnson Field.
 
"It just feels really good to be back in front of our fans and on the new field," head coach Steve Johnson said. "It's absolutely beautiful right now. I'm just excited to play on it and be here for our Aggie family."
 
Senior first baseman/shortstop Lexi Orozco led the Aggies with three hits and five RBIs in the win over the Black Bears.
 
USU took an early 3-0 lead against Maine after scoring two runs in the bottom of the first and one in the bottom of the second.
 
Junior center fielder Mazie Macfarlane got the scoring started for the Aggies with a single to shortstop and advanced to second. Orozco had an RBI single to right center to plate Macfarlane. USU loaded the bases after freshman designated player Taryn Edds drew a walk and freshman shortstop Giselle Gonzalez was hit by a pitch. Freshman third baseman Claudia Medina then brought Orozco home after drawing a walk to give USU the 2-0 edge at the end of the first.
 
Macfarlane scored once again in the bottom of the second after drawing a walk, stealing second and scoring on another Orzoco RBI single to right field as the Aggies led 3-0 at the end of the inning.
 
Maine was not going down without a fight, however, as the Black Bears scored three runs in the top of the fourth, one in the top of the fifth and two more in the top of the sixth to take a 6-3 lead.
 
Senior first baseman Bri Lerma led off for the Aggies in the bottom of the sixth and reached first after getting hit by a pitch. Senior Sydnee Smith then came in as a pinch hitter and doubled to left center to plate Lerma. Junior Makenzie Macfarlane later came in as a pinch hitter and singled up the middle to advance Smith to third. Sophomore left fielder Libbie Hawker came back in for Makenzie Macfarlane to run the bases. Mazie Macfarlane hit a shot up the middle to score Smith. Hawker and Mazie Macfarlane each advanced a base on a wild pitch, and Hawker made it home on an Orozco sacrifice RBI to tie it up at 6-apiece at the end of the frame.
 
Neither team scored in the seventh frame to force an eighth inning.
 
Maine scored one run in the top of the eighth to hold a 7-6 edge.
 
Junior right fielder Tyler Thornton was placed on second for the Aggies in the bottom of the frame. USU loaded the bases after Hawker drew a walk and Mazie Macfarlane reached on a fielder's choice that advanced both Thornton and Hawker. After a USU strikeout, Orozco stepped up to the plate and posted a two RBI double to right center to secure the 8-7 walk-off Utah State victory.
 
"It feels good," Orozco said. "When you have a lot of Aggie fans come out, all you want to do is make them happy. To do that in a walk-off form, there's nothing better than to do that in that fashion. I'm glad I was able to do that for my team and our fans."
 
The Aggies are now 4-0 on the year in extra-inning games.
 
Freshman Mia Reynolds made the start in the circle for the Aggies, striking out three batters and walking three in her 4.1 innings of work. She was relieved by junior Nya Laing, who pitched for 1.0 innings and had one strikeout. Sophomore Jessica Stewart pitched the final 2.2 innings, recording two strikeouts and one walk, to earn her fourth win of the season.
 
Utah State and Idaho State (13-14)  played five innings on Saturday night before the game was postponed due to darkness. The remaining two innings will be played prior to the Aggies' game against the Bengals scheduled for 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 19.
 
USU took an early 2-0 lead scoring one run in both the bottom of the first and second innings against ISU.
 
Senior catcher Gabriella Jimenez reached on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the first and scored on an RBI single up the middle from sophomore second baseman Zaia Castruita.
 
Freshman Claire Raley came in as a pinch runner after senior designated player Emily Tidd drew a walk in the bottom of the second. Raley stole second, advanced to third on the throw and scored on a Medina sacrifice fly.
 
Idaho State came up big in the top of the third as the Bengals scored six runs in the frame to take a 6-2 lead.
 
Orozco singled through the left side in the bottom of the inning and scored after a Castruita single and an Idaho State error to trim the lead to 6-3.
 
The Bengals scored two more runs in the top of the fourth to extend their lead to 8-3.
 
Orozco singled to center field and advanced to second on a Castruita sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth. Lerma then recorded her first triple of her collegiate career to score Orozco. Smith singled on the next at-bat to plate Lerma and cut the Idaho State advantage to 8-5. The game was postponed at the conclusion of the fifth inning due to darkness.
 
Utah State continues the Aggie Classic on Saturday, March 19. The Aggies take on Maine at 1 p.m., before finishing the final two innings of Friday's game against Idaho State. The Aggies and Bengals will conclude the tournament with a game slated for 4 p.m.
 
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 –