May 8, 2008

Box Score

HONOLULU - Seventh-seeded Utah State was eliminated from the Western Athletic Conference Softball Tournament after getting shutout, 3-0, to fifth-seeded New Mexico State here Thursday at a sun-filled Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

The Aggies end the tournament in seventh-place, being the first team eliminated.

Utah State was making its second WAC Tournament appearance in the Aggies' third season in the league, and concludes the year with a 14-34 record, ending the year on a five-game losing streak.

New Mexico State improves to 26-35 and advances to play second-seeded and 10th-ranked Fresno State in a loser-out contest on Thursday, May 8 at 11 p.m. (MT).

The Southern Aggies beat the Northern Aggies in all four matchups this season, sweeping USU in Logan earlier this season, but the navy-clad Aggies are still 44-36 all-time versus the crimson-clad Aggies.

Utah State sophomore center fielder Emily Reilly started off the first inning with a walk before New Mexico State pitcher Kim Watson retired the next three batters. USU sophomore pitcher Stacey Ellingsworth matched Watson during the next two innings, as the two pitchers recording three strikeouts in six at-bats.

Ellingsworth struck out NMSU's center fielder Kandice Jones to start the bottom of the fourth before right fielder Stephanie Herrera singled up the middle and later stole second. Third baseman Ashley Maroda then singled to center and advanced on Reilly's rocket throw to USU catcher Simone Hubbard to get Herrera out at home for the second out of the inning. Ellingsworth ended the inning by striking out first baseman Hoku Nohara.

USU freshman designated player Megan McDonald walked to lead off the fifth for the Northern Aggies second base runner of the game, before senior shortstop Tara Evans and sophomore right fielder Michelle Workman both popped up to the catcher and Hubbard grounded out to short to end the inning.

The Southern Aggies finally go on the board with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to break a scoreless tie, as Kristi Randall singled up the middle, designated player Colleen Kimbro walked and shortstop Kristi Hanan reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases for NMSU. Pinch hitter Andrea Ortega grounded to short which scored Randall and Kimbro ran across on a sacrifice fly by second baseman Kylie Randall.

Utah State junior left fielder Mikey Price then singled back to the pitcher in the top of the sixth for the Northern Aggies only hit in the game before she was picked off for the first out. Reilly and sophomore second baseman Nicole Rupp then grounded out to second and short to end the inning. NMSU pushed across the final run in the bottom of the sixth.

Ellingsworth struck out a season-high five batters in as many innings, as she allowed three runs on six hits, falling to 1-8 overall. USU junior Lindsey Benson pitched the sixth and recorded one K. Watson tallied six K's for NMSU in six and one third innings, yielding two walks and one hit for the win, as she evens her record to 18-18 on the year.

Benson's one strikeout gives her 136 for the season, ending in sixth on the USU single-season strikeout list, while she has tallied 290 K's in her career to hold the seventh spot on the Aggies' career list.

USU recorded 33 home runs, tying the school record which was just set last season.

Aggie freshman shortstop Kelley Kaneshiro set a new single season slugging percentage as she had a .692 slugging percentage, while junior designated player Kayla Dunn ends in a tie for sixth with Lloydene Searle with a .577 slugging percentage.

Three USU seniors ended their seasons, as catcher Heather Haak and third baseman Amy Schaible played their final game on Wednesday, while shortstop Tara Evans completed her final game on Thursday.