Box Score SAN DIEGO, California – Utah State softball (16-11, 1-2 MW) used a heroic effort on the mound from senior Jessica Stewart to pick up its first win of Mountain West play, taking down San Diego State 1-0 Sunday afternoon in San Diego. Stewart pitched the full seven innings without allowing a run to propel the Aggies to victory. 
 
After four scoreless innings, Utah State had its first strong scoring opportunity of the game in the fifth inning when it loaded the bases. Senior outfielder Ali Ashner and sophomore outfielder Jaden Colunga opened the inning with back-to-back shingles, then junior infielder Ariel Fifita took first on an eight-pitch walk, but all three were left stranded when a pop fly down the right foul line ended the inning. 
 
In the seventh inning, USU broke the scoreless drought. Ashner earned a single with a hit through the right side, then eventually made her way to second on a sacrifice bunt from Colunga. With two outs on the board, sophomore outfielder Kya Pratt delivered a single to left field to bring Ashner in for the game's only run. Fifita then stepped up to follow with another single, but Pratt was tagged out at home to end the inning. 
 
In the bottom of the seventh, a big leadoff opportunity for the hosts was stifled when freshman outfielder Tatum Silva made a diving grab to earn an out. SDSU got two runners into scoring position, but Pratt caught a fly ball in right field to end the contest. 
 
In total, Stewart threw 116 pitches in the shutout to pick up her fourth win of the year. She threw three strikeouts and allowed five hits while facing 27 batters. Fifita and Ashner highlighted USU's efforts at the plate with two hits apiece, each going 2-for-3 on the afternoon. 
 
Up Next
Utah State (16-11, 1-2 MW) now returns to Logan for its home opener as it hosts Idaho State on Tuesday, March 19, at 2 p.m., at LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Field. 
 
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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