SAN DIEGO -- Three pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout in a 7-0 San Diego State victory over San Jose State Friday afternoon at SDSU Softball Stadium. With the win, the Aztecs (34-15) advanced to the Mountain West Championship game, scheduled for noon PT Saturday.
SDSU, which has a league-record eight MW regular-season titles, will be looking for its first-ever MW Tournament championship. The MW Tournament came back this season after a 17-year hiatus, previously being contested from 2000-06.
San Diego State pitchers Allie Light, Sarah Lehman and Dee Dee Hernandez all combined on the shutout. Light (12-6) allowed just two baserunners - a double and a walk - over four scoreless innings, striking out four. Hernandez gave up four hits in two innings of relief with two strikeouts. Lehman pitched a perfect seventh inning with two strikeouts.
The Aztecs jumped right on Spartan (25-27) all-conference pitcher Janessa Ullegue, scoring four runs on three hits before she was pulled for Lacie Ham. SDSU quickly loaded the bases on a Bella Espinoza single, and back-to-back walks by Mac Barbara and Jillian Celis. Cali Decker followed with a bloop single to score Espinoza. After an infield fly, AJ Murphy's deep sacrifice fly plated Barbara from third. Jeweliana Perez then took the first pitch she saw to right-center field to score Celis and Decker.
San Diego State tacked on two more runs in the second as Espinoza knocked in Macey Keester with a single and later scored on a Barbara single.
Barbara completed the scoring for the Aztecs with a one-out solo home run in the sixth inning. It was her 13th homer of the season.
Barbara was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, two runs and a walk to lead SDSU, which outhit SJSU, 10-5. Decker and Espinoza added two hits apiece. Celis chipped in with a single and a walk.
THE NOTE
San Diego State improved to 28-2 this season when outhitting its opponent.
THE NOTE II
The Aztecs improved to 24-5 this year when scoring first.
STAT OF THE DAY
SDSU's seven-run win was its second-largest margin of victory out of its 24 Mountain West Tournament games, only trailing an 9-1 win over Utah on May 10, 2001.
UP NEXT
Second-seeded San Diego State plays in the MW Championship game at noon PT Saturday against fourth-seeded San Jose State. The Spartans will have to beat the Aztecs twice to capture the tournament title and automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
[2] San Diego State 7, [4] San Jose State 0
San Jose State (25-27) 000 000 0 -- 0 5 1
San Diego State (34-15) 420 001 x -- 7 10 0
Ullegue, Ham (1) and Hutchingson; Light, Hernandez (5), Lehman (7) and Decker
W - Light, 12-6; L - Ullegue, 15-8
HR: San Diego State, Barbara (13)
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 7, [4] San Jose State 0
Game 6: 3 p.m. PT - [1] Boise State 4, [6] Nevada 3 (8 innings) (Nevada eliminated)
Game 7: 6 p.m. PT - [4] San Jose State 2, [1] Boise State 1 (Boise State eliminated)
Saturday, May 13
Game 8: Noon PT - [2] San Diego State vs. [4] San Jose State
Game 9: 2:30 p.m. PT - *if necessary
SDSU Shuts Out SJSU, 7-0, to Make MW Title Game
