March 17, 2007

Box Score

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Utah State scored first, but the green-clad Portland State Vikings got a little St. Patrick's Day luck in rallying for two runs in the top of the eighth inning for a 3-1 win over the Aggies Friday afternoon in Cascade Clash Invitational action at Oregon State's Softball Complex.

USU falls to 8-15 with the loss, while PSU improves to 9-14 with the win.

The Aggies plated a run in the bottom of the first, as freshman LF Emily Reilly led off with a walk, then advanced to second on a passed ball. Senior CF Ashley Bellum advanced Reilly to third with a groundout to short, and Reilly scored on a wild pitch to senior RF Jamie Fife.

USU put two runners on with no outs in the second, chasing Portland State starter Jessi Even, but Mandy Hill came on in relief and thwarted the Aggie rally with a strikeout and two groundouts.

Portland State put together a rally in the fourth plating a run, and advanced runners to second and third before sophomore pitcher Lindsey Benson slammed the door with a strikeout, her sixth of the game, to end the inning and get out of the jam.

Neither team threatened until the bottom of the seventh when freshman C Simone Hubbard had a bloop single down the right field line, but USU couldn't plate her, forcing extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, Portland State took advantage of a USU error and a hit by pitch, followed by a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. The next batter grounded back to Benson in the circle, who threw to Hubbard at home for the first out, and Hubbard threw to sophomore 1B Aubrie Stroman at first for the double play.

PSU's Jana Rae Slayton then followed with an RBI single to deep second to score a run, then Jackie Heide followed with an RBI single to center, before Benson got Stephanie Bean to pop out to short to end the inning and the Vikings' rally.

The Aggies went down in order in the bottom of the eighth to end the game.

Junior SS Tara Evans was 1-3, while junior C Heather Haak was 1-2 and Hubbard was 1-3, for USU's three hits in the game.

Benson took the loss, going the distance in the circle, spraying nine hits while logging six strikeouts.

USU returns to the diamond at 4 p.m. (MT), taking on host 15th-ranked Oregon State. The Aggies conclude Cascade Clash Invitational action on Sunday, facing Towson in a twinbill starting at 10 a.m. (MT).

-USU-