OREM, Utah – Utah State used the long ball to end its skid.
 
Some solid pitching didn't hurt, either.
 
Freshman left fielder Jaden Colunga hit a two-run homer and sophomore shortstop Ariel Fifita added a solo shot as the Aggies snapped a four-game losing streak with a 3-0 non-conference victory over Utah Valley on Tuesday afternoon at Wolverine Softball Field.
 
Hailey McLean earned the win in the circle for Utah State (8-12) as she scattered two hits over five innings of work, to go along with 10 strikeouts and two walks. The freshman from Sparks, Nevada, is now 4-2 on the season.
 
Sophomore Mia Reynolds started in the circle and pitched two innings of two-hit ball for the Aggies, striking out three and walking one.
 
Still scoreless after five innings, Colunga stepped up to the plate in the top of the sixth with two outs and sophomore third baseman Claire Raley on second. The native of Colton, California, took a 2-1 offering from UVU starter Brooke Saili (4-6) and deposited it over the center-field fence to give USU all the runs it would need on the day.
 
Fifita made it 3-0 in the top of the seventh with her first home run of the year, a one-out bomb to left field off of a 1-1 pitch from Utah Valley reliever Katie Zuniga.
 
Utah State freshman center fielder Kya Pratt extended her streak of reaching base safely to 15-straight games as she drew a walk against UVU (6-14).
 
UP NEXT

Utah State opens Mountain West play by hosting a three-game series against New Mexico (12-15) this weekend, March 17-19. The Aggies and Lobos, who have also yet to play a league game, open the series on Friday at 4 p.m., before playing at noon on both Saturday and Sunday.
 
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-