USU softball: Aggies drop a pair of games on Saturday in Texas Invitational

Utah State softball continued play in the Texas Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 23, in Austin, Texas, against a pair of ranked opponents. In the opening game of the day, USU took on No. 6 Texas, defeating the Aggies, 13-2 in five innings. Utah State went on to play No. 24 Tulsa for the second time in tournament bracketing, falling 3-0.

In the first game of the day, host-team Texas broke out early against USU, as its offense took control and powered the Longhorns to a 13-0 lead, through the first four innings of action.

The Aggies scored their only two runs of the game in the top of the fifth inning as sophomore infielder Jolene Koons singled and scored a run, along with freshman infielder Sarah Chow who also tallied a hit and run in the inning.

Action was called after the top of the fifth inning due to the run rule as Texas held a, 13-2, advantage. Utah State senior starting pitcher Mandy Harmon was given the loss and is now 0-8 this season.

In its second matchup in as many days, USU and Tulsa locked horns in the final game of Saturday’s action.

The Golden Hurricanes scored two runs in the first inning that would prove to be the difference in the low-scoring affair. Tulsa added another run in the bottom of the sixth frame to push its lead to a, 3-0, advantage.

The Aggies were unable to manufacture a run against Tulsa’s starting pitcher Lacey Middlebrooks. For the second time of the day, Koons and Chow tallied the only hits for the offense.

USU starting pitcher Mandy Harmon put together a strong outing, going six innings and allowing one earned run to go along with three strikeouts. Harmon was charged with her ninth loss this season. As her squad is now 0-14 in three weeks of action this season.

The Aggies will conclude weekend action on Sunday, Feb. 24, as they are set to take on Lamar at 11 a.m. (MT). The Cardinals defeated Utah State on Friday in the opening game of the Texas Invitational, 5-2.

Doug Hoffman is the assistant athletic director for Utah State University Athletic Media Relations.