SAN DIEGO -- Jillian Celis homered and drove in four runs to rally San Diego State past Nevada, 5-4, on the first day of the Mountain West Championship Thursday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. With the victory, the second-seeded Aztecs (33-15) advanced to the winner's bracket to play fourth-seeded San Jose State at noon PT Friday, with the winner headed to the MW Championship game on Saturday.
Trailing, 2-0, through three innings, Celis got SDSU on the scoreboard with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the fourth. It was her sixth homer of the season.
San Diego State then loaded the bases in the fifth on consecutive singles by Macey Keester and Bella Espinoza, and a five-pitch walk to Mac Barbara. Celis took a 1-1 pitch into the left-center field gap to clear the bases and give the Aztecs their first lead of the game at 4-1. Celis later scored on a Cali Decker single.
The sixth-seeded Wolf Pack (31-18), which beat third-seeded Colorado State, 11-0, in five innings earlier in the day, battled back with a run in the sixth and then looked to take back its lead in the seventh. Nevada quickly got a run back on consecutive singles by Hannah De Genova and Chelie Senini, and, after a strikeout by SDSU reliever Allie Light, another single by Charli Hawkins. Light (11-6) intentionally walked Aaliyah Jenkins, who earlier got the Wolf Pack on the scoreboard with a two-run homer in the third, to load the bases with just one out. Light, however, struck out Gabby Herrera swinging and then got Madison Clark to ground into a fielder's choice back to her in the circle, tossing it to Decker at the plate for the forceout final out of the game.
Celis, Decker and Keester all had two hits apiece for San Diego State, which did not strike out in the game. Barbara added a pair of walks.
Sarah Lehman started the game in the circle for the Aztecs, and gave up two runs on four hits and a walk over four innings, while striking out six. Light yielded two runs on four hits and two walks over the final three innings, stroking out three. Lehman and Light stranded eight Wolf Pack runners on base in the game, as Nevada was just 3-for-15 (.200) with runners on base and 2-for-10 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
SDSU moves on to play San Jose State, which won twice on the day, including a 6-4 win over top-seeded Boise State. San Diego State swept the Spartans (25-26) in a home series this season and has won eight straight against SJSU overall, dating back to 2021.
THE NOTE
The Aztecs won their 11th straight home game, tied for the 10th-longest active streak in the country. SDSU is 22-4 (.846) at home this season, its best home record in program history.
THE NOTE II
San Diego State improved to 9-4 in one-run games this year.
STAT OF THE DAY
The Aztecs won their 46th consecutive game when leading after six innings (24-0 this season).
UP NEXT
Second-seeded SDSU plays fourth-seeded San Jose State at noon PT Friday.
[2] San Diego State 5, [6] Nevada 4
Nevada (31-18) 002 001 1 -- 4 8 0
San Diego State (33-15) 000 140 x -- 5 9 2
Brown, Clary (5) and Jenkins; Lehman, Light (5) and Decker
W - Light, 11-6; L - Brown, 11-9
HR: Nevada, Jenkins (12); San Diego State, Celis (6)
2023 Mountain West Softball Championship
SDSU Softball Stadium - San Diego, Calif.
All Games on Mountain West Network
Thursday, May 11
Game 1: [4] San Jose State 1, [5] Fresno State 0 (Fresno State eliminated)
Game 2: [6] Nevada 11, [3] Colorado State 0 (5 innings) (Colorado State eliminated)
Game 3: [4] San Jose State 6, [1] Boise State 4
Game 4: [2] San Diego State 5, [6] Nevada 4
Friday, May 12
Game 5: Noon PT - [2] San Diego State vs. [4] San Jose State
Game 6: 3 p.m. PT - [1] Boise State vs. [6] Nevada (elimination game)
Game 7: 6 p.m. PT - Loser of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6 (elimination game)
Saturday, May 13
Game 8: Noon PT - Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 7
Game 9: 2:30 p.m. PT - *if necessary
Aztecs Rally Past Nevada, 5-4, at MW Tournament
