TEMPE, Arizona – UTEP Softball battled through a competitive Saturday at the ASU/GCU Invitational but fell in both matchups, dropping an 11-6 decision to Utah State and an 11-4 contest to host Arizona State at Farrington Stadium. 

Game 1: Utah State 11, UTEP 6 

The Miners (10-8) started slow against Utah State (12-6), allowing three early runs in the first inning. UTEP responded in the second with a solo home run from Halle Hogan, but the Aggies pulled away with a three-run fourth and two-run fifth to extend their lead. 

UTEP showed resilience in the sixth inning, rallying for five runs behind home runs from Rylan Dooner, Kenna Carranza, and Hogan, but Utah State's three-run bottom half sealed the Miners' fate. UTEP totaled nine hits in the game, with Hogan leading the way with a 2-for-4 performance, two runs scored, and a home run. Taja Felder (5-4) took the loss, while Utah State's Emmalyn Brinka (3-0) earned the win. 

Game 2: Arizona State 11, UTEP 4 

In the nightcap, the Miners faced a high-powered Arizona State (14-5) squad that put up two runs in the first and five in the third to take control early. UTEP plated a run in the second on a Marissa Burchard RBI double and added another in the fourth, capitalizing on a Sun Devils error. 

Hogan once again delivered offensively, crushing her second homer of the day in the sixth inning, while Amaya Lee and Burchard added extra-base hits. UTEP's Anisa Reynolds (1-3) was charged with the loss after allowing nine runs in five innings. ASU's Julianne Tipton (2-0) picked up the win with a five-inning, 10-strikeout performance. 

On Deck 

UTEP wraps up the ASU/GCU Invitational on Sunday, March 2, facing RV Grand Canyon in Phoenix at 11:30 a.m. MT.

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