ST. GEORGE, Utah – Utah State softball (10-9, 0-0 MW) used a season-high 17 hits to pick up a road win Tuesday afternoon, taking down Utah Tech 9-5 in St. George. 
 
The Aggies got off to a strong start as a double from freshman outfielder Tatum Silva turned into a first-inning lead when sophomore infielder Alex Bunton singled to left field to bring her home. While Utah State left a pair of runners on base in the first, it tacked on another run in the second courtesy of a Utah Tech fielding error as senior outfielder Ali Ashner crossed home plate to make it 2-0. 
 
Mistakes piled up against the Aggies in the bottom of the second, as Utah Tech scored its first run of the game on a left field double, then a Trailblazer runner took third on a wild pitch and came home on a passed ball to even things up at 2-2. A hit then brought a runner in from second as the hosts took the lead at 3-2. 
 
The next six runs belonged to the Aggies, as USU took control with seven runs in the final three innings. In the fifth, a single from junior infielder Giselle Gonzalez scored a pair of runs, followed by a triple from sophomore outfielder Jaden Colunga to tack on one more. Doubles from sophomore catcher Grace Matej and Gonzalez, then a single from Colunga stretched the USU lead to 8-3. While the Trailblazers scored a pair in the bottom of the inning, the Aggies added a security run in the seventh, courtesy of a single from Matej to bring sophomore outfielder Kya Pratt home. 
 
Gonzalez led the team at the plate with a career-high four hits in four at-bats, with three RBIs. Six different Aggies recorded multiple hits in the contest, while USU had five extra base hits. 
 
On the mound, three pitchers saw time for Utah State. Redshirt sophomore Denay Smith started and pitched the first 1.2 innings before being relieved by graduate Katie Zuniga, who pitched the next 4.0 innings. Senior Jessica Stewart closed things out, throwing just 16 pitches with three strikeouts in the final 1.1 innings. 
 
Up Next
Utah State (10-9, 0-0 MW) now travels to Southern California for five games, beginning with a contest against Fairfield on Friday, March 8, at 12:30 p.m. (MT), in Long Beach. 
 
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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