6
Nevada
NEV
20-11, 3-2 MW
7
Winner
Utah State
UST
14-16, 3-2 MW
7
Utah State
UST
14-16, 3-2 MW
Winner
Score By Periods
| Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
R |
H |
E |
|
Nevada
NEV
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
6 |
12 |
0 |
|
Utah State
UST
|
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
7 |
9 |
0 |
W: Lish, Jordyn (1-3)
L: Berlingeri, Ainsley (3-2)
LOGAN, Utah – After surrendering a one-run lead in the top half of the seventh inning, Utah State softball seemed headed to a disheartening loss on Saturday afternoon at LaRee & LeGrand Johnson Field.
Enter seniors
Kaylee Erickson and
Grace Matej.
Erickson tied the game in the bottom half with a two-run home run over the center field wall, scoring senior outfielder
Kya Pratt. Several batters later, Matej delivered the walk-off blow with a towering shot over the center field fence, her second home run of the game, to give the Aggies a 7-6 victory.
Freshman
Kendall Cochran went 6.0 innings on the start, limiting the Wolf Pack to five runs on 11 hits while recording a pair of strikeouts. Freshman
Jordyn Lish then came on in relief to pitch the seventh inning, holding Nevada to one run on one hit in the inning to keep USU in striking distance.
Nevada looked to repeat its performance from the first game of the series, loading the bases in the top of the first inning before Cochran wiggled out of the jam while giving up only one run. Matej responded for USU in the bottom half of the second inning with a lead-off solo homer to square things at 1-1. The Aggies then jumped ahead in the third inning after Pratt and Erickson reached base, setting the stage for senior
Alex Bunton to clear the left field fence to a three-run shot.
In the circle, Cochran faced only three batters in each of the third and fourth innings as USU took the lead. After the Wolf Pack strung together four hits to plate a pair of runners to make it 4-3 in the fifth inning, Cochran forced back-to-back fly-outs to close the inning. Despite a two-out triple, Cochran held Nevada scoreless again in the sixth inning to preserve Utah State's 4-3 advantage.
In a wild seventh inning, Nevada retook the lead following a lead-off single and a two-run home run before extending their lead to 6-4 with an RBI single, setting the stage for the Aggie rally and walk-off in the bottom half. Pratt led the inning off with a single Erickson took the first pitch over the wall to tie the game.
Bunton nearly walked off the game as the next batter before a leaping catch at the wall by Nevada's center fielder kept the game tied at 6-6. Following a pop up to make it two outs, Matej needed only one pitch to send the Aggies home victorious.
Matej went 2-of-3 from the plate with the two home runs, her second multi-home run game this season. Erickson went 2-of-2 with two runs and two RBIs, also twice reaching base by hit-by-pitch. Pratt also had multiple hits, going 2-of-4 with two runs scored. Bunton finished 1-of-3 with a team-high three RBIs while also drawing a walk.
USU's four home runs are the most in a game this season for the Aggies and the most since hitting six home runs against Nevada last season. Matej's walk-off is USU's first since
Ariel Fifita walked off a win against New Mexico last season and the first walk-off home run for the Aggies since Matej also achieved the feat against San Diego State last year.
UP NEXT
Utah State (14-16, 3-2 MW) closes out its series against the Wolf Pack at LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Field on Sunday at noon.
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 -
