LOGAN, Utah – Utah State softball (16-23, 5-9 MW) dropped a pair of games in a doubleheader against Boise State Wednesday afternoon at LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Field, falling 11-6 in the first game, then 13-2 in a six-inning second game.
Game 1 - Utah State 6, Boise State 11
The Aggies had to fight from behind in the first game of the day, after allowing three runs before recording an out in the first inning. Despite out-hitting the Broncos 12-9 in the contest, USU struggled to string hits together while Boise State took advantage of every opportunity and hit four home runs in the game.
Following the 3-0 first inning, the Aggies tallied their first run in the bottom of the second when a single then an advance to second by senior catcher Grace Matej was followed by a base hit from freshman infielder Kate Vance. The Broncos quickly responded with three runs in the third, then one more in the fifth to go up 7-1.
Despite the six-run deficit, Utah State responded to pull close with two runs each in the fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth, it was freshman outfielder Faith Kroening tallying an RBI with a single up the middle, followed by a single for senior outfielder Kya Pratt. The duo of Kroening and Pratt repeated that performance the following inning, Kroening adding a run on a single and Pratt on a bases-loaded walk. With the bases loaded and the go-ahead run at first in a 7-5 game, a strikeout ended the inning.
Boise State re-took command in the seventh with four runs. The final run of the day for the Aggies came in the bottom of the seventh, a solo shot home run over the right field fence by senior infielder Alex Bunton. This was Bunton's sixth home run of the season.
In the pitching circle, USU relied on senior Rylie Pindel and freshman Jordyn Lish. Pindel took the first 3.0 innings with five earned runs, Lish took the final 4.0 with five earned runs.
Game 2 - Utah State 2, Boise State 13 (6 innings)
In the second contest, Utah State once again generated hits but struggled to bring runners around, scoring just two runs on seven hits. Both of USU's runs came in the first inning. After the visitors scored on a solo home run in the top of the first, the Aggies pulled in front with a pair of runs in the bottom, using a 2-RBI single from Bunton to score Pratt and senior infielder Kaylee Erickson.
The Broncos re-took control quickly with two more runs in the second. Another two-run inning in the fourth made it a 5-1 game, before they broke things open in the sixth inning with eight runs on six hits.
Four pitchers saw time for the Aggies. Freshman right-hander Kendall Cochran started and threw the first 5.1 innings, before senior Carly Limosnero, Pindel and senior Sydney Saldaña combined for the final two outs.
UP NEXT
Utah State (16-23, 5-9 MW) will hit the road this weekend for a two-game conference series in Las Vegas, facing UNLV on Saturday and Sunday, April 11 & 12.
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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