SDSU softball is hoping to start conference play with a bang.

The Aztecs went through the non-conference and started it well. Going 5-0 in Clearwater and 4-1 in the Mary Nutter.

The Aztecs, after those two tournaments, faltered a little bit, going 2-6 over their last eight games.

SDSU ended non-conference play with a 15-9 record. The Aztecs take on Utah State. The Aggies have started the season 14-10, with impressive wins over Baylor and Purdue.

The Aggies are a team that loves the big fly, having hit 27 home runs on the year. This ball club could bode problems for the Aztec pitching staff. The Aggies are led by senior infielder Ariel Fifita, who is batting .436 on the year with five home runs.

It’s a very potent lineup that the Aggies have, with multiple hitters who can hurt you with one big swing.

The Aztecs will see a trio of pitchers from the Aggies this weekend, starting with the leader in innings pitched for the Aggies. Rylie Pindel leads the Aggies in innings pitched, strikeouts, and BAA with a .307. All Aggie pitchers have a high ERA in the year, with Pindel having the lowest at 4.04. The other pitchers the Aztecs will see are Carly Limosnero and Emmalyn Brinka. Both have significant innings pitched for the Aggies, but both are prone to giving up runs, with them exceeding an ERA of above 5.00.

It is still unknown if the Aztecs are going to be without lead-off hitter Bella Espinoza for an extended amount of time.

The Aztecs coming in are hoping to prove to the Mountain West that if you want to compete and win the conference, it runs through The Mesa.

For the Aztecs to take the series win against these powerful Aggies, they need to do three things.

For starters, pitchers must keep the ball on the ground and in the park. As stated earlier, the Aggies love the long ball, with 27 of them in the year. Cece Cellura, Grace Uribe, Dee Dee Hernandez, and Ava Schaffel will have their hands full with this lineup.

Second, the Aztecs must capitalize when they get the opportunity with RISP. The Aztecs have seemingly struggled this year with RISP and have rarely gotten the big hit as of late. The Aztecs need to convert at least over 35% of the time with RISP to have a chance against a high-scoring offense like the Aggies.

The third and most crucial. Defense. The Aztecs need to make plays on defense and not let the inning continue. The Aggies will make you pay if you give them free baserunners.

The two will play a doubleheader early Friday, starting at 12:30 PM PT and then 3 PM PT. There is no game on Saturday, with the three-game homestand ending on Sunday at 11 AM PT.

All games will be streamable on the Mountain West Network website and app.

Bryant Thursby

Assistant Coach at Heritage High School. A big time SDSU fanatic and Padres fan.