MORAGA, Calif. — Saint Mary's softball returned to Cottrell Field to take on Utah State in their second game against the Aggies in as many days. Trying to push Friday's loss in the home opener as far away as possible, they were able to turn the page on Saturday morning behind a brilliant effort in the circle. Odhi Vasquez delivered her best outing on the young season to blank Utah State 2-0 and help give the Gaels their first home win of 2023. SMC is now 3-4 while Utah State is 3-5.
 
DAZZLING DOMINANCE
Odhi Vasquez might not have gotten the start on Saturday, but she went the distance, getting all 21 outs in a shutout performance. More on why she entered the game in a moment, but her numbers were brilliant: seven innings, three hits, two walks, and a career-best 10 strikeouts, including three in the seventh inning. In the middle of the game, she worked on a stretch of retiring 13 out of 14 hitters, completely neutralizing the bats of the Aggies. The 101-pitch effort helped her earn her first collegiate win, and give the Gaels their first shutout of the 2023 season.
 
STANDING TALL UNDER PRESSURE
Chelsea Bennett actually drew the start for the Gaels, but she lasted just nine pitches into her outing, walking a pair of hitters before SMC turned to Vasquez. With two down in the inning, Vasquez allowed another walk to load the bases, but Utah State could not score. In the second, the Aggies got a two-out double from Tyler Thornton, but she was left stranded. In the fourth, the Aggies had a runner at third with nobody out, after Ariel Fifita led off with a bunt single, stole second, and went to third on a passed ball. But again, Vasquez delivered, getting a strikeout, a groundout, and a soft line out to end the threat. In the seventh, the Aggies got a leadoff single a two-out walk to put the tying runner aboard, but Vasquez ended the day with her tenth strikeout.
 
ONLY NEEDED THESE TWO
The Gaels offense was relatively quiet in the win, but they didn't need to make much noise. In the second, SMC got their only two runs of the game with a little help from Utah State. Taylor Keinath opened the inning with a single, and Taylor Lane reached on a fielding error at short by the Aggies. Rylee Gomez then laid down a bunt that she beat out to load the bases for Alex Casas. After driving in the only RBI for SMC yesterday, Casas got the first one on the board on Saturday, with a sacrifice fly to right field, which moved Lane to third. That was important, because Gomez then stole second base after the throw glanced off the glove of the Utah State shortstop, Lane came in to score to give the Gaels a crooked number, and their only run of the game.
 
UP NEXT
While Utah State will play again at Cottrell Field at 9:00 am on Sunday, Saint Mary's will play UC San Diego at 11:30 am and San Jose State at 2:00 pm. Both games will be broadcasted on the WCC Network. The final day of the Saint Mary's Tournament will also be LMYA Day at the park.