PLAY BALL!
Utah State softball (11-4, 0-0 Mountain West) continues its 2025 campaign this week at the Arizona State and Grand Canyon-hosted ASU/GCU Invitational in Tempe and Phoenix, Arizona. Games will take place Feb. 28-March 1. USU will face five different opponents, including Oregon State, Grand Canyon, UTEP, Arizona State and Seattle.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Live stats for all of this weekend's games will be available via Statbroadcast. Games against Grand Canyon and Arizona State will be streamed on ESPN+. Links and live updates will be available on the USU softball social media pages and through UtahStateAggies.com.
 
AGGIES VS THE FIELD
• This week's game will be the 18th all-time between Utah State and Oregon State, the Beavers leading the series 12-5. Most recently, the teams met twice in 2021 in Fullerton, California, OSU winning 6-1 and 6-1. USU's most recent win in the series came in 2007.,
 
• Utah State has faced Grand Canyon four times in program history, the Antelopes leading the series 3-1. The teams met in a neutral site contest in 2023, a 5-0 win for GCU. USU's lone win in the series game in 2020, a 7-0 victory. 
 
• USU and UTEP will meet for the fifth time in series history, the Aggies holding a 3-1 edge in the series. The sides haven't faced off since 2017, splitting two games with a 4-1 USU win and a 7-5 win for the Miners. 
 
• Saturday's game will be the 40th all-time between Utah State and Arizona State, the Sun Devils holding a 28-11 series lead. ASU has won each of the past 15 meetings between the sides, though they haven't played since 2019, a 10-2 six-inning win for Arizona State. 
 
• Utah State and Seattle have faced off six times, including once already this season. The Redhawks hold a 4-2 advantage in the series, though USU won 1-0 in Riverside on Feb. 14. Prior to this season, the most recent meeting was in 2018.
 
ICYMI
Utah State had a 4-1 showing last week at the Lyman Classic in St. George, Utah. The Aggies opened the week with a 10-2 five-inning victory over UC San Diego, before defeating Weber State 11-10, San Diego 13-10 and host Utah Tech 21-15. The team's lone loss of the week was an 11-7 result against Idaho State. 
 
THE BATS ARE HOT
In five games last week, Utah State totaled a whopping 62 runs scored, easily the highest scoring week in program history. USU scored 10-plus runs in four-straight games for the first time ever. The Aggies tallied 71 hits during those games. After totaling eight home runs in the first 10 games of the year, USU hit 15 dingers during the five-game stretch. 
 
NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
After an outstanding showing last week at the Lyman Classic, USU senior infielder Giselle Gonzalez was named the D1Softball National Player of the Week. During the five-game stretch, Gonzalez went .500 (8-for-16) at the plate with five home runs, six runs scored, 13 RBIs and three walks. She had two home runs against Weber State, then three more against Utah Tech, tying a program record. 
 
Gonzalez was also named the Mountain West Player of the Week, joining Grace Matej (Feb. 9) as the second USU player to earn the honor this season. 
 
RUNNING INTO THE RECORD BOOK
In Utah State's win over Utah Tech on Feb. 22, the Aggies scored 21 runs. This was the third-most runs in a game in program history, and the first time scoring over 20 runs in 45 years. The only games USU has played with more runs were a 24-1 win over USU Eastern in 1980 and a 27-0 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills in 1978. 
 
HISTORIC HITTING
In Utah State's 11-10 win over Weber State on Feb. 21, the Aggies tied a program record for home runs in a game with six. Four different USU batters hit bombs in the game, including two-apiece from junior outfielder Kya Pratt and senior infielder Giselle Gonzalez. 
 
BY THE NUMBERS
Utah State currently ranks in the top-50 nationally in several key statistics, including: hits (7th - 157), home runs (11th - 23), doubles (14th - 28), RBIs (16th - 105), slugging percentage (16th - .606), triples (17th - 113), scoring (21st - 7.53), on base percentage (21st - .438), batting average (27th - .358), double plays (37th - 6) and walks (43rd - 53).
 
FIFITA'S ON FIRE
Utah State senior infielder Ariel Fifita has been one of the top hitters in the country this season, as well as one of the top shortstops. Fifita currently leads the nation in assists per game with 3.87, while also recording 25 putouts. 
 
Fifita is batting .481 (25-for-52) entering the week, while 14 of her 25 hits have resulted in extra bases. She ranks 11th nationally in doubles (7), 19th in triples (2), 30th in home runs (5) and 13th in hits (25). She also has a .981 slugging percentage, 22nd best in the nation, and a .585 on base percentage, ranking 34th. 
 
RYLIE WIN-DEL
Utah State junior right-hander Rylie Pindel is a perfect 6-0 in the circle entering the week. Her six wins rank tied for 11th in the nation, with only 13 pitchers currently unbeaten with at least six wins. 
 
TURNING SOME HEADS
In this week's D1Softball Mid-Major Top 25 poll, Utah State checks in at No. 14. The Aggies are one of four Mountain West teams included, joined by San Diego State (1), Nevada (9) and Boise State (11).
 
GOING THE DISTANCE
In four of Utah State's games this year, a pitcher has taken the Aggies from start to finish. Juniors Rylie Pindel and Carly Limosnero each have two complete games to their names. Pindel threw 8.0 innings in the win over Purdue and 7.0 innings in the win over California Baptist, while Limosnero went 7.0 innings in wins over Baylor and Seattle. 
 
RANKED DUB
On Feb. 8, Utah State earned its first victory over a ranked team since 2022 and first win over a top-20 side since 2010, defeating No. 19 Purdue 6-4. The Aggies jumped out to an early lead with a four-run first inning, then held on tightly to the lead the rest of the way. 
 
Junior pitcher Carly Limosnero spent all seven innings in the circle for USU, allowing just two extra base hits in the game. Junior catcher Grace Matej was responsible for half of the team's runs, hitting three RBI singles in the contest.
 
Earlier in the week, USU led No. 7 Texas A&M through 5.5 innings, but an eight-run sixth from Texas A&M held off the upset. 
 
CLUTCH HITTERS
In Utah State's win over Purdue on Feb. 9, the Aggies had their backs against the wall multiple times. In the bottom of the seventh in need of a run to survive, senior outfielder Olivia Marble hit a one-out RBI triple to even the game as senior outfielder Brooklyn Pritchett scored.
 
In the eight inning, after three-straight outs for the Boilermakers, junior catcher Grace Matej hit a walk-off bases-loaded single to bring home junior infielder Kenzee Hale for the win.  
 
UP NEXT
Utah State will return to Arizona next week for the Grand Canyon-hosted Purple Classic from March 7-9. There, it will face St. Joseph's twice, then Penn, San Diego and Grand Canyon. The Aggies will also play a single game at Arizona on Monday, March 10.