Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Utah State
Wildcats sweep doubleheader from Aggies
4/6/2011 3:12:00 AM | Softball
OGDEN, Utah -- The Wildcats are heating up.
With conference action looming this weekend, the Weber State University softball team continued to tune up for the Pacific Coast season by taking a pair of wins against in-state rival Utah State on Tuesday afternoon at Wildcat Softball Field.
Behind a combined 14 hits and 13 runs, the Wildcats swept the Aggies 7-4 and 6-5, winning consecutive games for the second time this season and moving to 4-1 over their last five games.
Redshirt freshman Ashley Huddleston provided a huge boost for Weber State, hitting a fifth-inning grand slam that turned a 3-2 lead into a 7-2 advantage. Huddleston's shot to right field sailed well clear of the fence and landed on the cement pad surrounding the field's scoreboard.
"It was exciting to hit that," said Huddleston, a native of North Las Vegas. "It's been a good couple of games at home. We're starting to play well together and get some confidence in ourselves."
Huddleston finished the day hitting 3-of-5 with six RBIs and a run scored across the two games.
Symbree Minniear also had a strong afternoon for the Wildcats, going 4-of-6 with three RBIs and a run scored.
"We've been able to get some confidence during these games," Weber State coach Tina Johnson said. "It's easier to pitch and play defense when you are ahead. You play a little calmer."
Weber State wasted no time in taking the lead against Utah State, going ahead 1-0 on sacrifice bunt by Britinie Hardine that brought Erika James across the plate.
The Aggies tied things up in the second, while the Wildcats went back up 2-1 in the third before Utah State knotted things up at 2-2 in the fourth.
With the bases loaded and one out, Minnier hit an RBI single to left center to bring up Huddleston, who hit the grand slam on a full count.
Utah State scored twice in the top of the seventh, but Weber State ended it there to take the first game.
The second game was scoreless until the third inning, when the Wildcats plated five to again stake out a 5-0 lead. Weber State had four hits and took advantage of a Utah State error in the inning.
The teams' each traded a run in the fourth.
Utah State cut the 6-1 deficit to 6-4 in the fifth, scoring three runs on two hits and two WSU errors. The Aggies made it 6-5 in the sixth, and threatened to tie the game with runners on second and third, but USU grounded out to third base and flied out to right field to end the inning.
Weber State is set to take on in-state rival Utah in Salt Lake City today in its final pre-Pacific Coast Softball Conference tune-up. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 2 p.m.
