The Snow College softball team returned to action after a week off in Helper against in-state rival Utah State University Eastern. The Badgers currently sit in fifth place inside the Scenic West Athletic Conference with a conference record of 4-12. 

The Badgers suffered their first sweep of the year two weeks ago against No. 21 Salt Lake Community College. They entered the weekend on a six-game slide dating back to March 14 against No. 22 College of Southern Idaho. 

The Badgers started game one hot as they got on the board in the top of the first with a Brooke Fisher lead-off home run. USUE responded with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning before the Badgers exploded out to a 5-1 lead by the end of the second inning off a Bree Garcia three-run homer – her first of the year – followed by a Gigi Hall solo shot. 

USUE slowly chipped away at the Badgers' lead, culminating in a five-run sixth inning that put them out in front 9-5, which held through the final frame of the game. 

Game two saw the Badgers tally up the runs early as they scored five runs in the first off a single, an error, and a Nev Carrasquel three-run double. They added three more in the top of the second off another Howland single, followed by both a passed ball and a wild pitch. 

The Badgers finished scoring with a Garcia home run in the top of the fourth, and a pair of runs in the fifth from a passed ball and a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Chloe Tycksen. USUE hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth, but it wasn't enough to overcome the run rule, ending the game in an 11-3 Badger victory after five. 

Game three had the Eagles shoot out to an 8-2 lead after three innings; each of the Badgers' runs came off a Tyksen walk with the bases loaded. The Badgers started clawing back in the top of the fourth off a Garcia two-run double to cut the Eagle lead in half. 

USUE responded with a run in  the bottom of the fifth before Taimane Laolagi-Aloy scored a run for the Badgers in the sixth with a single through the middle. Fisher followed it up with a two-run homer in the top of the seventh to bring the game within two, but the rally came to an end and the Badgers fell just short 9-7. 

The final game of the four-game set opened with the Badgers on the board in the top of the first with a single from Rian Howland that scored Garcia, followed by a single from Laolagi-Aloy, which scored Howland. They added more in the top second on a two-RBI double from Fisher, who scored later in the inning on an error to put the Badgers up 5-0. 

USUE answered with six runs of its own between the second and the fifth innings. Both sides traded runs with a Fisher two-run big fly in the top of the sixth, followed by a USUE run in the bottom of the frame. 

The Badgers extended their lead to three in the top of the seventh on a Fisher single shortly followed by a bases-clearing double by Garcia. USUE responded with back-to-back doubles in the final frame to walk off the game 11-10. 

Fisher led the Badgers offensively, going 10-17 (.588/.611/1.176) from the plate with eight RBIs and three home runs. Garcia was close behind, going 7-13 (.538/.538/1.154) from the dish with eight RBIs and two home runs. 

Snow College will return to Ephraim for its second home series of the year against North Idaho College Friday and Saturday. First pitch of game one is slated for 1:00 p.m., with day two opening at 12:00 p.m. For video streaming and live stat information, visit snowbadgers.com.