FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Mac Barbara homered twice and the San Diego State softball team scored the first nine runs of the game en route to a 15-5, run-rule victory over Colorado State in six innings Saturday at Ram Field in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Barbara hit a two-run home run for the Aztecs (16-8, 1-1 MW) in the top of the first inning and added a two-run homer in the sixth as SDSU avenged a 10-5 loss to the Rams (15-8, 1-1 MW) in the Mountain West opener on Friday. Barbara also had an RBI single in the fifth and finished 4-for-4 with a career-high five RBIs, three runs and a hit by pitch.
San Diego State outhit CSU, 14-9, for the game, including two apiece from the first three batters in the lineup in Bella Espinoza, Jillian Celis and Cali Decker. Espinoza doubled, tripled, scored two runs with a walk and stolen base, Celis was 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run, and Decker was 2-for-3 with an RBI, career-high three runs and was hit by a pitch.
Macey Keester added a single and two walks, and Makena Brocki had three RBIs with a double, walk and sacrifice fly.
The Aztecs scored seven runs in the first on four hits and three Colorado State errors, then scored twice more in the second.
The Rams got on the scoreboard with two runs in the fourth before SDSU matched the two scores in the fifth.
CSU kept the game alive by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth, but San Diego State completed the run-rule victory with five more runs in the sixth.
Dani Martinez got the start in the circle for the Aztecs and pitched three scoreless innings with two hits and two walks allowed, striking out one. Cassidy West replaced Martinez to start the fourth, giving up five runs on seven hits and a walk over 1 1/3 innings with one strikeout. West (2-0) did pick up the win. Allie Light pitched a scoreless 1 2/3 innings, yielding no hits and one walk, while striking out two.
THE NOTE
The first four batters in the lineup for the Aztecs - LF Bella Espinoza, SS Jillian Celis, C Cali Decker (and replacement Jeweliana Perez) and DP Mac Barbara - combined to go 11-for-17 (.647) with two home runs, seven RBIs, 10 runs, two doubles and a triple.
THE NOTE II
SDSU picked up its third run-rule victory of the season.
STAT OF THE DAY
San Diego State has now won 67 consecutive games when scoring at least 10 runs.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs look to win the series on Sunday. First pitch is noon MT (11 a.m. PT).
San Diego State 15, Colorado State 5 (6 innings)
San Diego State (16-8, 1-1 MW) 720 024 -- 15 14 1
Colorado State (15-8, 1-1 MW) 000 230 -- 5 9 4
Martinez, West (4), Light (5) and Decker, Ignacio (4); Nannen, Bentley (1), Saugstad (2) and Buffaloe
W - West, 2-0; L - Nannen, 0-1
HR: San Diego State, Barbara 2 (5); Colorado State, Smith 2 (7)
San Diego State Run-Rules CSU, 15-5, in Six Innings
