FORT COLLINS, Colo. – After splitting Wednesday’s doubleheader against Fresno State at home, the San Diego State softball team hit the road ahead of this weekend’s series at Colorado State. Despite being at altitude, the game was yet another pitcher’s duel. The Rams opened the scoring with a two-run homer by Autumn Rutherford in the fourth inning. The Aztecs threatened several times but were only able to score once, on a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, in a 2-1 defeat.
San Diego State (23-14, 7-5 Mountain West) starting pitcher Dee Dee Hernandez pitched around a single and an error to keep the Rams (14-22, 4-8 MW) off the board in the first inning.
Jade Ignacio led off with a double in the second inning for SDSU. She advanced to third on a groundout. With two away, Jazmin Williams walked and stole second, putting two runners in scoring position, but a strikeout ended the inning without a run. Hernandez allowed a single but nothing more in the second.
With two away in the third, Julie Holcomb singled and stole second base. Hernandez retired the side in order in the bottom half.
In the fourth inning, Shannon Cunningham singled, stole second and advanced to third on a bad throw but was unable to cross the plate. Jailey Wilson singled for the Rams with one out in the bottom of the inning before Rutherford followed her with a two-run homer to left center to put CSU up 2-0. Hernandez induced a groundout and a strikeout to end the inning without any more damage.
Following a leadoff flyout in the top of the fifth, Gabriella Terrones walked and Bella Espinoza and Julie Holcomb each singled to load the bases for the Aztecs. A double play allowed the Rams to escape the jam without any of the runners scoring. Cece Cellura took over in the circle in the bottom of the inning. A walk and a single started the inning for Colorado State before a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. Cellura battled back, getting a pair of groundouts to get out of the inning.
Ignacio began with a double again in the sixth. She was able to hustle to third base on a foul pop up to the shortstop. Grace Uribe flew out to left and the sacrifice fly was deep enough to bring in Ignacio to trim the deficit to a run. Cellura pitched a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout to give the Aztecs a chance in the seventh.
Holcomb tripled to left center with two outs to bring the tying run within 60 feet of home for the Aztecs and get the tying run to the plate in the form of Cali Decker. However, a ground ball back to first base ended the game with a 2-1 Colorado State win.
THE NOTE
Jade Ignacio tallied multiple extra-base hits in a game for the second time in her career. She also doubled twice in the 10-0 win against San Diego on March 19.
UP NEXT
SDSU and Colorado State will wrap up this weekend series at 12 p.m. MT/11 a.m. PT on Sunday. The game will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network.
Colorado State 2, San Diego State 1
San Diego State (23-14, 7-5) 000 001 0 – 1 8 1
Colorado State (14-22, 4-8) 000 200 X – 2 5 0
W – Wick, 8-10; L – Hernandez, 6-7
HR: Rutherford, CSU (3)