RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Utah State softball opened its 2024 campaign with a pair of games Saturday at the UC Riverside-hosted Lynn Russell Miller Classic, falling to No. 9 Oklahoma State 10-1 in the first game, then defeating Portland State 6-2 for the first win of the Todd Judge era. 
 
The Aggies started strong in the first game of the day, but were unable to keep pace with the ninth-ranked Cowgirls. After OSU scored in the top of the first inning, Utah State evened things up with a run of its own in the bottom. Sophomore outfielder Kya Pratt led off the inning with a base on balls, then advanced to second on a sac bunt. In what was the first at-bat of her Utah State career, junior catcher Kaylee Erickson singled up the middle to bring Pratt home from second. 
 
Four different Aggie pitchers saw action in the contest. Sophomore Hailey McLean started and pitched 1.1 innings before being replaced by sophomore Tess Bumiller. Senior Jessica Stewart entered in the third, and sophomore Sydney Saldaña closed things out. 
 
In the second game, Utah State took down Portland State 6-2 for its first win of the season and the first win under head coach Todd Judge. The Aggies came out strong, posting two quick runs in the bottom of the first as Pratt and freshman outfielder Tatum Silva each circled the bases, coming home on RBIs from junior catcher Kaylee Erickson and sophomore catcher Grace Matej, respectively. The Vikings countered with a two RBI single in the top of the second, their only runs of the afternoon. 
 
Junior infielder/outfielder Claudia Medina was responsible for USU's next two runs, bringing home senior outfielder Ali Ashner and junior outfielder Brooklyn Pritchett in the second and fourth innings, respectively. In the bottom of the sixth, Pratt used a sac fly to bring in freshman infielder Emerson Meggers. Meggers entered the game as a pinch runner for sophomore infielder Alex Bunton, then proceeded to steal third before scoring her first collegiate run. Silva then scored her second run of the game and third of the afternoon on a single to center field by junior infielder Ariel Fifita to make it a four-run lead and secure the win. 
 
On the mound, graduate pitcher Katie Zuniga earned the win in her first start as an Aggie. The Utah Valley transfer pitched 4.1 innings, allowing just two runs while facing 19 batters. Redshirt sophomore Denay Smith entered in the fourth in relief to close things out for USU. 
 
Up Next
Utah State (1-1, 0-0 MW) closes out its weekend at the Lynn Russell Miller Classic on Sunday, Feb. 11, at, facing Portland State at 10 a.m. (MT), then taking on UC Riverside at 3 p.m. (MT).
 
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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