MORAGA, Calif. – Utah State softball (3-4, 0-0 Mountain West) split its first two games at the Saint Mary's Tournament on Friday with a 1-0 loss to UC San Diego (4-3) and a 3-2 victory against host-Saint Mary's (2-4).
Utah State lost its first game of the day as UC San Diego scored the lone run of the contest in the top of the second inning. Three Aggies logged a hit in the game as freshman right fielder
Kya Pratt had a team-best two, while graduate first baseman
Gabriella Jimenez and senior catcher
Makenzie Macfarlane each had one.
Sophomore
Mia Reynolds pitched a complete game for the Aggies, striking out four Triton batters.
USU bounced back in its second game of the day with the 3-2 win against Saint Mary's.
Sophomore designated player
Giselle Gonzalez got things going for the Aggies in the top of the second with a lead-off single down the right field line. A sacrifice bunt from sophomore shortstop
Ariel Fifita advanced Gonzalez to second before a fielding error would put Gonzalez on third and sophomore second baseman
Claudia Medina on first.
An RBI single from redshirt sophomore left fielder
Hannah Vargas scored Gonzalez to put the Aggies on the board. Sophomore third baseman
Claire Raley then singled to center field to load the bases. Senior center fielder
Tyler Thornton brought home the final run for the Aggies in the frame with a single to left field to plate Medina.
Saint Mary's scored one run in the bottom of the inning to trim the deficit.
Both teams went scoreless in the next two innings. Thornton drew a walk to lead off for USU in the top of the fifth. She would advance a base in each of the nest two at-bats before Macfarlane sent her home with an RBI ground out to extend the Aggie lead to 3-1.
Utah State maintained its lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. The Gaels looked to make a comeback, scoring one run in the frame, but the Aggies forced two outs at the final at-bat to secure the 3-2 road victory.
Five Aggies recorded a hit against the Gaels, led by Raley with two, while Pratt, Gonzalez, Vargas and Thornton each had one.
Hailey McLean pitched her second complete game of the season. The freshman picked up right where she left off with nine strikeouts on route to her second career win.
UP NEXT
USU continues its run at the Saint Mary's Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 18, as the Aggies face Saint Mary's once more at 11 a.m. (MT), before a nonconference contest against MW foe San José State (1-5) at 5 p.m. (MT).
FOLLOW ALONG
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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