March 1, 2007

Box Score

GREELEY, Colo. - For the first time this season, Utah State softball won consecutive games when the Aggies swept Northern Colorado in a doubleheader Thursday at UNC's Butler-Hancock Field. USU won a pair of one-run games, 6-5 and 5-4.

The wins snapped USU's three-game losing skid as the Aggies are now 6-10 overall under first-year head coach Candi Letts after going 8-38 last season.

"We weathered the weather and found ways to win. It was a tough day playing today with temperatures in the 20's with the wind chill," Letts said. "Our pitchers did a nice job today. We gave up some runs early, then battled back. In the first game we found a way to come back. The kids did a great job of dealing with elements."

USU has also tied last season's home run total, belting their 18th round-tripper of the season, as junior 3B Amy Schaible smacked one in each game, a two-run shot in the seventh inning of game one that proved to be the game-winning and a three-run blast in the third inning of the nightcap. Those were Schaible's only two hits of the day, going 2-6 with five RBI and two runs scored.

"I think that the girls have learned that they can't hit the ball if they don't swing," Letts said of USU's home run improvement. "That has really their confidence and helped hit some home runs."

Senior CF Jamie Fife was 2-2 with a pair of doubles and two stolen bases in game one, while junior RF Whitnie Ray was 2-3 with three stolen bases.

Senior C Jami Uragami was 2-3, extending her hitting streak to four games, before having it snapped with an 0-3 in game two.

Freshman CF Emily Reilly was 2-4 with a triple in the nightcap, while fellow freshman, 2B Nicole Rupp was 2-4 with an RBI and a stolen base.

The Aggies rallied from a 4-1 deficit after the third inning in the first game, and hung on from a 5-1 lead in the second.

"In the second game, we scored early, then UNC came back," Letts said. "Again the pitchers did a great job of closing the door on their rally. We did enough to win and it was good that we are finding ways to win."

Sophomore Lindsey Benson went the distance in game one, logging a season-high nine strikeouts in improving to 4-2 on the year.

In the nightcap, senior Lexy Perry went six and third, ringing up eight strikeouts while spraying seven hits, before giving way to freshman Stacey Ellingsworth who got the final two outs to record her first save as an Aggie. Perry got her first win of the year as well.

USU and UNC return to the diamond Friday at 1 p.m. for another twinbill. The Aggies then head to Letts' old stomping grounds Saturday to play in a double-round-robin tournament with Northern Colorado and Colorado State. Letts was head coach at Colorado State from 1994-98, and is the Rams' winning coach by percentage.