PLAY BALL!
Utah State softball (16-13, 1-2 Mountain West) plays a home-and-home series against in-state foe Weber State, and a three-game road series in conference play against Colorado State this week. The Aggies will first host Weber State on Tuesday, March 25, at 4 p.m., at Johnson Field. They then travel to Fort Collins for games Thursday, March 27, at 4 p.m., Friday, March 28, at 4 p.m., and Saturday, March 29, at Noon. Finally, USU travels to Ogden to play at Weber State on Tuesday, March 31, at 3 p.m.
FOLLOW ALONG
Live stats for all of this weekend's games will be available via Statbroadcast. USU's series at Colorado State and home game against Weber State will be streamed on the Mountain West Network, while it's game at Weber State will be on ESPN+. Links and live updates will be available on the USU softball social media pages and through UtahStateAggies.com.
AGGIES VS WILDCATS
Utah State and Weber State have met 60 times in a series which dates back to 1976. The Aggies lead the series, 41-19, and have won six of the past eight meetings, including an 11-10 win over the Wildcats earlier this season in St. George on Feb. 21. USU is 17-7 all-time at home and 11-8 all-time on the road against Weber State.
AGGIES VS RAMS
Utah State leads the series against Colorado State, 42-29. The Rams have won each of the past four meetings, including a three-game series sweep last season in Logan, winning 5-4, 13-3 (5) and 14-3 (5). In Fort Collins against CSU, Utah State is 16-14 all-time.
A GRAND SEASON
Utah State redshirt junior catcher/infielder Kaylee Erickson has hit four grand slams this year, a mark which ranks tied for second-most by a player in a season in NCAA history. Just one player has ever hit more grand slams in a season: Kansas' Serena Settlemier with six in 2006. Louisiana-Lafayette's Gabriele Bridges in 2011 is the only other player to record four.
Prior to Erickson, just one USU player in program history, Lexi Orozco, had ever hit multiple grand slams in a season (2 in 2019). The program record for grand slams in a year by the entire team was three in 2021.
HISTORIC HITTING
With a .338 team batting average this season, Utah State is on track for its best hitting season in program history. Currently, the team batting average record is .310 in 1996.
EXTRA CREDIT
Utah State has made the most of its at-bats this season, getting extra bases in 97 of its 278 hits. This includes 56 doubles, six triples and 35 home runs. Senior infielder Ariel Fifita leads the way with 18 extra base hits (10 doubles, two triples and six home runs).
ICYMI
Utah State went 1-1 in a pair of non-conference games last week during its Mountain West bye week, defeating Idaho State 7-5 on the road, then falling at home to Saint Mary's 15-10. Senior infielder Giselle Gonzalez led the Aggies at the plate on the week, going 4-for-5 (.800) with a home run, two runs scored, four RBIs and two hit by pitches.
THAT HURT!
Utah State leads the Mountain West and ranks 21st in the nation with 29 times being hit by a pitch this season. Senior infielder Ariel Fifita and junior catcher Grace Matej each lead the Aggies with seven HBPs taken on the year.
BY THE NUMBERS
Utah State currently ranks in the top-50 nationally in several key statistics, including: doubles per game (7th - 1.93), hit by pitches (21st - 29), on base percentage (21st - .429), RBIs per game (26th - 6.31), batting average (26th - .338), hits (26th - 278), slugging percentage (28th - .548), home runs per game (32nd - 1.21), scoring (34th - 6.66) and double plays (48th - 12).
MOUNTAIN BEST
With most of non-conference play in the books, the Mountain West Conference has had one of its most out of league showings in recent history this year. Entering league play last week, seven of the league's nine teams were .500 or better and eight are .450 or better. The squads have combined for a 131-87-1 (.605) record in non-conference play.
THE BATS ARE HOT
In five games at the Lyman Classic Feb. 21-23, 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 the week ending Feb. 23, USU senior infielder Giselle Gonzalez was named the D1Softball National Player of the Week. During a five-game stretch at the Lyman Classic, 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.
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 (3.14), while also recording 36 putouts.
Fifita is batting .417 (40-for-96) entering the week, while 18 of her 40 hits have resulted in extra bases. Her .417 batting average ranks 111th nationally and fifth in the MW. She also ranks 46th nationally in doubles (10) and 40th in hits (40). Her .773 slugging percentage ranks fourth in the MW, and her .548 on base percentage leads the league.
RYLIE WIN-DEL
Utah State junior right-hander Rylie Pindel is now 8-1 in the circle entering the week, ranking third in the Mountain West in total wins.
UP NEXT
Utah State will play a pair of games against two different league opponents next week, first hosting New Mexico in a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 2, then playing at San José State on Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6.
