Utah State campus briefs

SOFTBALL: Freshman second baseman Tina Ferguson went a perfect 6-for-6, driving home nine runs as the Utah State softball team swept Utah Valley, 12-2 in six innings and 8-6, on Tuesday at LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Softball Field in Logan.

With the pair of wins, USU is now 3-2 against the Wolverines this season. Overall the Aggies improve to 16-23, as Tuesday's wins snapped an eight-game losing skid, while Utah Valley falls to 19-21.

Ferguson had 13 RBIs heading into the doubleheader, then drove in nine runs in the two wins Tuesday. She also scored four runs, including belting two home runs in consecutive at bats in the nightcap.

In Game 1, the Wolverines jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Megan Woodworth started the inning with a triple to left field. She crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by Mandy Tapia. The next batter, Meghan Gardner, hit a home run to right field to give UVU a 2-0 lead. Senior starter Kate Greenough was able to get the next two batters to end the inning.

Utah State responded with one run in the bottom half of the first inning. Senior shortstop Rachel Evans reached on an infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior first baseman Emily Reilly. Evans advanced to third on a fly out by junior designated player Shasta Tyteca. Evans cut the lead down to 2-1 when she scored on a single by senior catcher Simone Hubbard.

Utah State took the lead in bottom of the second inning. Junior Joreigh Landers drilled her fifth double of the season, and freshman second baseman Tina Ferguson's first career triple brought Landers around to score, tying the score at 2-2. USU took a 3-2 lead when Reilly's single to center brought home Ferguson with her 13th RBI of the season. The Aggies added a single run in the bottom of the third inning for a 4-2 advantage.

In the fifth frame, Utah State plated five runs to take a convincing 9-2 lead. The inning started when Tyteca walked with one out, which forced UVU to replace Flanary with Heather Bacon. With two outs, Hubbard doubled to center to score Tyteca. The Aggies weren't done with the two-out rally, as Nicole (Rupp) Tindall walked and junior left fielder Megan McDonald singled to bring home Hubbard, while Tindall advanced to third. After Landers walked to load the bases, Ferguson promptly emptied them with her second triple of the game.