LOGAN, Utah – Junior outfielder Kya Pratt posted a combined statline of 5-for-7 with two home runs, two doubles and seven RBIs to lead Utah State softball to a pair of wins over New Mexico in a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at LaRee & LeGrand Johnson Field. The Aggies outlasted the Lobos in 12 innings in game one for a 7-6 walk-off victory with senior infielder Ariel Fifita providing the game-winning hit. In game two, USU recorded an 8-6 win in five innings as the game was shortened due to weather conditions.
 
Game One
After a scoreless first inning, Pratt opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the second, scoring junior infielder Alex Bunton on the play. The Lobos captured their first lead of the game after scoring five runs combined in the fourth and fifth innings. The lead was short-lived, however, as the Aggies plated three in the bottom of the fifth innings off doubles from Bunton and Pratt, with senior outfielders Olivia Marble and Brooklyn Pritchett plus junior infielder Kenzee Hale scoring to level the game at 5-5.
 
New Mexico threatened some late-inning heroics, scoring one run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh inning. For the third time of the game, Pratt delivered a scoring hit, this time bringing home sophomore infielder Emerson Meggers on a double to send the contest to extra innings.
 
Providing free softball for the fans in attendance, both sides stepped up on the defensive side to extend the game further and further. After coming on for the seventh inning, junior Emmalyn Brinka registered 6.0 innings of scoreless pitching while allowing only four hits, ultimately earning the victory.
 
The Aggie defense also stepped up to support Brinka's performance in the circle. After the Lobos loaded the bases with no outs in the 10th inning, Brinka recorded the first out of the inning on a strikeout. Pratt then preserved the tie game with a sliding catch in right field, also recording a double play with a throw to senior infielder Giselle Gonzalez at first base. NM again threatened to break the gridlock in the 12th inning with runners and first and second with no outs. This time, Fifita provided the defensive prowess, tagging the runner between second and third before throwing to first for the double play, helping the Aggies escape the inning unscathed.
 
In the bottom half of the 12th, sophomore outfielder Tatum Silva recorded a leadoff triple to immediately put the pressure on the Lobos. The pressure persisted only shortly as Fifita singled through the left side in the very next at-bat, sending Silva home for the game's winning run.
 
At 12 innings, the game is Utah State's longest since going 13 innings at Cal Poly on March 8, 2009, and the program's longest game resulting in a victory since winning, 3-2, in 14 innings at Pacific on April 10, 1992.
 
Pratt finished game one with a 3-for-5 showing at the plate with one home run, two doubles and five RBIs. Silva also went 3-for-5, while Bunton, Marble and Gonzalez each finished with two-hit showings. 
 
Game Two
The Lobos began the second game of the day with a 1-0 lead in the first inning, scoring on a walk with the bases loaded. As they did several times in game one, the Aggies responded immediately in the bottom half. Fifita scored off a sacrifice fly from junior catcher Kaylee Erickson before Pratt recorded her sixth RBI of the day, singling to bring home Marble and put the Aggies ahead, 2-1.
 
The second inning followed the script of the first as New Mexico retook the lead off an RBI double and RBI single in the top half. The Aggies again answered back in the bottom half. Fifita doubled to deep center field, narrowly missing a home run, to score senior Claudia Medina to tie the game. Fifita herself scored later in the inning on a sacrifice fly from Gonzalez to again put USU in front.
 
The Lobos scored off a sacrifice fly in the top of the third inning but were unable to retake the lead, leaving the door open for Utah State to take control in the bottom half of the inning. Pratt began the Aggie outburst with an opposite field home run to break the tie. Following a double from Medina and a drawn walk from Silva, Fifita broke the game open with a shot well over the wall in left-center field, putting the Aggies up, 8-4. 
 
New Mexico battled back with a pair of runs in the fourth inning off a two-RBI single, but after going scoreless through the remainder of the inning and the top of the fifth, the game was called due to dropping temperatures, sealing the second win of the day for the Aggies.
 
Junior pitcher Carly Limosnero earned the win after closing out the third inning. Brinka again came on for the Aggies in game two and delivered two innings and recorded three strikeouts to help USU finish out the second game of the doubleheader.
 
Fifita finished game two going 3-for-3 with two doubles and home run, batting in four runs. Pratt went 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBIs. Medina also went perfect from the plate, going 2-for-2 and scoring two runs.
 
Up Next
Utah State (21-15, 6-2 MW) continues Mountain West play this weekend with a pair of games at San José State on Saturday, April 5, at 4 p.m. (MT), and Sunday, April 6, at 1 p.m. (MT).
 
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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