Softball season cancelled due to COVID-19

An unexpected turn of events for the Utah State University Eastern’s women‘s softball team, as their season came to a tragic end. The difficult decision was made as a result of the COVID-19 virus in an effort to stop it spreading. The Eagles ended their season with an overall 12 – 7 record and 4 – 4 conference record. USUE played rival Snow College Feb. 28 – 29 in Ephraim, Utah. In the first game, Marisa Bowman homered on a fly ball to left field helping Shayna Alofipo to score as well. Nyah Deryke singled on a fly ball to left field, Alicia Cruz scored. Bowman doubled on a fly ball to center field, Jenna Sutliff scored
Badgers defeat Eagles 11 – 4
In the second game, Alofipo homered on a fly ball to center field and Cruz singled on a hard ground ball to shortstop, Alofipo scored.
Badgers defeat Eagles 6 – 2
During the third game, Alofipo homered on a fly ball to left field twice and Sutliff homered on a fly ball to center field.
Badgers defeat Eagles 8 – 3
In the last game, Sutliff homered on a fly ball to right field, helping Geniva Canales and Alofipo score. Tanzie Gasu singled on a hard ground ball to center field with Grace Callister and Cruz scoring. Deryke doubled on a line drive to right field allowing Oakley Small to score.
Badgers defeat Eagles 14 – 6

“In our losses to Snow, we left way too many runners on base. Snow out hit us when it came down to it and ultimately we had a bad weekend,” Head Coach Shelby Shurtliff said. The next weekend USUE played Colorado Northwestern Community College March 6 -7 at home. In the first game, Minerva Cruz singled allowing A. Cruz and Alofipo to score. Alofipo doubled allowing Madie Luck and Gasu to score. A. Cruz singled and Alofipo scored. Deryke singled and Alofipo scored. Sutliff homered, helping Alofipo, Luck and Deryke to score.
Eagles defeat Spartans 10 – 0
In the second game with bases loaded, Madison Hadlock singled allowing Alofipo to score. Regan Bossow was hit by the pitcher and the runners advanced allowing Sutliff to score. Bases loaded again, Canales singled allowing Bowman to score. Luck walked, runners advanced, and Hadlock scored. Alofipo was hit by the pitch and the runners advanced allowing Bossow to score. Sutliff homered, helping Alofipo, Luck and Canales to score. Bowman singled allowing Sutliff and Alofipo to score. Alofipo singled allowing Canales and Bossow to score. A. Cruz tripled with Sutliff and Alofipo scoring. Katelynn Schaugaar singled next and A. Cruz scored.
Eagles defeat Spartans 16 – 6
During the third game, with bases loaded, M. Cruz singled and Shayna Alofipo scored. Shakel Alofipo doubled allowing M. Cruz and Bowman to score. Gasu tripled and Shakel Alofipo scored. A. Cruz homered allowing Sutliff to score. Bowman homered, Canales singled allowing Shakel Alofipo and M. Cruz to score. Luck doubled and Canales scored. Small stole third and scored off an error by the third base player. Luck doubled and Gasu scored. A. Cruz hit to right field and the runners advanced allowing Luck to score. Bowman doubled, Sutliff and Alofipo scored. M. Cruz singled, Bowman scored. Shakel Alofipo singled, A. Cruz scored.
Eagles defeat Spartans 17 – 4I. In the final game, M. Cruz homered allowing Bowman and Alofipo to score. Sutliff walked and the runners advanced allowing Deryke to score. A. Cruz hit to center field with Luck scoring. Deryke hit to center field with M. Cruz scoring. Bowman singled allowing Alofipo to score. M. Cruz singled and A. Cruz scored.
Eagles defeat Spartans 8 – 5
“Playing CNCC, we had the advantage of playing on our field and also it being a home opener was big for us. We strung our hits together well. We had a few timely hits and two grand slams in games one and two from Sutliff that definitely helped. Our pitchers also did a great job of keeping their hitters off balance. Everyone did their job,” Shurtliff said. “We didn’t know it was going to be our last games this season. Some of the girls were saying they didn’t get that last game feeling so you should always play like it’s your last game because you never know when it will be,” freshman Marisa Bowman said.

“I think the whole situation is not what any of us were expecting for our season. What makes it so hard is knowing all the work, time and effort we put in during preseason and not being able to show it off. We were coming together as a team and growing closer than ever. I personally was excited to see how far we could go. We had so much talent. I hope the majority of our team comes back next year, so we can have another chance, but it makes me sad to think that some of the girls never got that last game feeling

“As an athlete, you sacrifice so much of your life to the sport you love and it hits you really hard when it finally ends. I hope everything works out for next year, so we can decide how our season ends,” Madie Luck said. “We were very excited to play SLCC and well prepared. Unfortunately we are not able to play the rest of our spring season, but will be ready to go next year,” Shurtliff said. She is completing her first year as head coach.