SAN DIEGO – Coming off a 1-0 victory over No. 12/13 Arizona last weekend, the San Diego State softball team resumed conference play at home on Thursday night in the opening game of the final series of the regular season. The Aztecs took on the San Jose State Spartans in a battle of teams that have already clinched spots in the Mountain West Tournament. It was another low-scoring game and SDSU played small ball, scoring on a sacrifice fly and an error to earn a 2-1 victory.
With the victory, San Diego State (31-16, 14-6) is one win away from clinching the second seed and a bye in next week’s Mountain West Tournament, to be held at SDSU Softball Stadium. If the Aztecs win both games remaining in the series and Nevada loses both their remaining games, SDSU would earn a share of the Mountain West regular season championship.
San Diego State starting pitcher Cece Cellura allowed just one San Jose State (22-25, 9-11) baserunner in the first four innings, coming on a Reina Zermeno single in the top of the first. Cellura was dialed in, striking out two hitters in the second inning and one in the third.
The Aztecs got on the board first in the fourth inning when Bella Espinoza led off with a bunt single and stole second. She moved up to third base when Julie Holcomb followed her with a single to left. Holcomb stole second to put two runners in scoring position for Jazmin Williams. She hit into a fielder’s choice as Espinoza was thrown out at home and nearly slid around the tag. Williams stole her way into scoring position with Angie Yellen at the plate. Yellen hit a deep fly ball to right center, scoring Holcomb from third base to put the Aztecs up 1-0.
In the fifth inning, Cellura worked around a one-out single and struck out the side, doubling her strikeout total on the night in just one inning.
The Spartans tied the game in the top of the sixth inning. Cellura began the inning with a strikeout before an infield single by Ahmiya Noriega. She moved up on a wild pitch before getting to third on an error. With runners on the corners, Zermeno singled back up the middle, scoring Noriega from third to tie the game at one. Cellura induced a ground ball from the next hitter, but the Aztecs could not turn the double play and had to settle for two outs and runners on the corners. Cellura got another ground ball to escape the inning with the score tied. Quinn Waiki doubled to open the bottom of the inning for the Aztecs and was replaced on the basepaths by Mia Rodriguez. Espinoza hit a ground ball, advancing Rodriguez to third but the throw across the diamond by first baseman Shay McDowell was wild, allowing Rodriguez to trot home and put the Aztecs back on top 2-1.
Grace Uribe took over in the circle for the seventh inning, seeking her second save of the season. She pitched a perfect inning including a strikeout of Taylor Chillingworth to end the game with a 2-1 Aztecs victory.
THE NOTE
Cece Cellura struck out seven hitters, tying her career-high, which she set in a complete game against Utah on March 1. The total is also the most by any Aztec pitcher in one game this season.
UP NEXT
SDSU and SJSU will continue this series at 6 p.m. on Friday before a noon start on Saturday for Senior Day. Saturday’s game will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network.
San Diego State 2, San Jose State 1
San Jose State (22-25, 9-11) 000 001 0 – 1 4 1
San Diego State (31-16, 14-6) 000 101 X – 2 3 1
W – Cellura, 13-7; L – Reynolds, 13-16; S – Uribe, 2
HR: None