ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Utah State softball (16-15, 3-0 MW) is off to its best start in conference play since 2014 after posting a 13-4 victory over New Mexico (20-12, 1-5 MW) on Sunday.
 
The Aggies won their second run-ruled game of the season to complete the weekend sweep over New Mexico and advance to 3-0 in Mountain West play. It is the sixth time in program history USU has opened conference play 3-0 and is the first time the Aggies have done so since the 2014 campaign.
 
Sophomore second baseman Zaia Castruita and junior center fielder Mazie Macfarlane led the Aggies at the plate with three hits each, while Castruita and freshman left fielder Claire Raley each led with three RBIs.
 
Utah State and New Mexico got off to a familiar start on Sunday as both teams scored a run in the first inning. Macfarlane scored the run for the Aggies after she had a single up the middle and advanced to second and third on a sacrifice bunt and a fly out. Macfarlane made it the final 60 feet on a UNM passed ball.
 
The Aggies took the lead in the top of the third after scoring two runs in the frame. Macfarlane again scored for USU as she doubled to left field and scored on a single from freshman third baseman Claudia Medina. Medina also made her way around the bases after she advanced to second when senior shortstop Lexi Orozco drew a walk and then scored on a Castruita RBI single to give USU a 3-1 lead.
 
Raley scored the lone Aggie run in the top of the fourth as she doubled to right center before scoring on a Macfarlane RBI single to center field as USU held a 4-1 advantage.
 
Utah State's bats were hot in the fifth and sixth innings as the Aggies scored four and five runs in the top of the frames, respectively.
 
Senior catcher Gabriella Jimenez got the scoring started in the top of the fifth with a lead-off home run to left center. Castruita singled through the left side and advanced to second on a single from junior first baseman Makenzie Macfarlane. Junior Tyler Thornton entered the game as a pinch runner for Makenzie Macfarlane.
 
The Aggies loaded the bases after senior right fielder Bri Lerma reached on a fielder's choice. Castruita scored during the next at-bat on a passed ball that advanced Lerma and Thornton to second and third, respectively.
 
A Lobo error allowed Thornton to score. Lerma scored the final run for the Aggies in the inning after an RBI ground out from Raley to give USU the 8-1 edge.
 
New Mexico scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to trim the Utah State lead to 8-4.
 
Medina was hit by a pitch and Jimenez drew a walk to start things off in the top of the sixth. Both Aggies advanced on a wild pitch and then scored on a Castruita single up the middle.
 
Castruita advanced to third after Lerma singled to right center and scored on a New Mexico throwing error. Sophomore Libbie Hawker and Lerma scored the final runs of the game after a two-RBI single from Raley. USU held UNM scoreless in the bottom of the frame as the Aggies won 13-4.
 
Junior Nya Laing made the start in the circle for the Aggies, walking one batter in her 1.2 innings of work. She was relieved by senior Kapri Toone who earned her sixth win of the 2022 season. Toone pitched for 3.0 innings, striking out one Lobo batter. Freshman Mia Reynolds relieved Toone in the bottom of the fifth to earn the final out of the frame. Reynolds had one strikeout in her 1.1 innings pitched on Sunday.
 
Utah State returns to LaRee & LeGrand Johnson Field on Tuesday, March 29, as the Aggies host Weber State (22-7, 0-0 Big Sky) at 4 p.m. USU will then look to continue its conference winning streak as Utah State hosts Colorado State (11-16, 3-3 MW) for a three-game series from Friday, April 1, to Sunday, April 3.   
 
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 –