LOGAN, Utah — Utah State Softball won both games of a doubleheader with Boise State on Friday at LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Field. The Aggies walked off game one, 2-1, with a two-run bottom of the seventh, and mercy-ruled the Broncos 9-1 in five innings in game two.
USU extended its winning streak to four straight with the victories.
Game one was a defensive showdown as both starting pitchers went through four innings scoreless. Redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Denay Smith tossed 4.1 innings and tallied three strikeouts as Utah State's starter.
Boise State took a one-run lead in the fifth on a solo home run by sophomore third baseman Hollie Farmer.
After the Bronco blast, senior right-handed pitcher Jessica Stewart took over in the circle and dealt 2.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts to hold the Boise State lead to one run.
In the bottom of the seventh, senior left fielder Ali Ashner scored on an RBI double down the right-field line from sophomore designated player Jaden Colunga. With the bases loaded later in the half inning, junior pinch-runner Hannah Vargas scored on an error as Utah State secured a 2-1 walk-off victory.
USU finished with two runs, six hits and no errors as Stewart collected her fifth win of the season, while the Broncos totaled one run, six hits and two errors.
After allowing a hit to start game two, graduate left-handed pitcher Katie Zuniga fanned three straight to end the top of the first. In the bottom half of the frame, Utah State scored on a double-play as freshman center fielder Tatum Silva crossed the plate before the second out.
Boise State tied the game with a home run in the top of the third, but only scored one run after the Broncos' lead runner was passed by the hitter on the basepath.
Utah State's bats caught fire in the bottom of the third as the Aggies logged six runs with hit after hit. Sophomore catcher Grace Matej started the scoring with an RBI single that plated junior shortstop Ariel Fifita. Three at bats later, Ashner singled to left field, scoring Matej. Junior second baseman Claudia Medina then smacked a single to right field to add two runs as junior first baseman Giselle Gonzalez and Ashner reached home. With a single up the middle, sophomore left fielder Kya Pratt plated Colunga, after which the Aggies had batted around. Fifita doubled down the left-field line to score Medina for Utah State's sixth run of the frame.
After a scoreless top of the fourth, Colunga batted in Ashner and Matej as USU extended its advantage to 9-1.
Stewart entered the game in the top of the fifth to seal a mercy-rule win, 9-1, by pitching a scoreless inning with two strikeouts.
Utah State logged nine runs, 10 hits and no errors as Zuniga totaled her fifth win of the campaign. The Broncos finished with one run, seven hits and an error.
Up Next
Utah State (19-11, 3-2 MW) hosts Boise State tomorrow at 11 a.m. in the final contest of the three-game series 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.
-USU-
