SAN DIEGO – Riding a three-game win streak, the San Diego State softball team looked to honor its seniors on Saturday with a fourth consecutive win to close out the regular season. The Aztecs scored a run in each of the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead. San Jose State struck back with a solo homer in the third and a two-run home run in the second to take its first lead of the series before adding on another run in the fifth. The Aztecs returned the favor with a run in the sixth to get within a run before Cali Decker capped off a two-run rally in the seventh with a walk-off single to complete a 5-4 victory.
San Diego State (33-16, 16-6) starting pitcher Dee Dee Hernandez was excellent in the first three innings, allowing just one hit, a solo homer by Ahmiya Noriega in the third.
In the bottom of the first, Julie Holcomb singled and advanced to second base on an error by the San Jose State (22-27, 9-13) shortstop, Noriega. With one away, Angie Yellen singled through the left side, bringing in Holcomb from second to put the Aztecs on the board first.
The Aztecs added on in the second when Quinn Waiki led off with a double. She moved up to third on a ground ball before Bella Espinoza brought her home with an RBI bunt single.
Grace Uribe took over in the circle in the fourth inning but after a one-out walk, Shay McDowell homered to left as the Spartans took their first lead of the series. She responded with a strikeout and ended the inning without any more damage. San Jose State added on in the fifth inning when Noriega doubled and scored on a single by Taylor Squires. After the run scored, Cece Cellura entered the circle and ended the inning.
Cellura started the sixth inning with a strikeout. SJSU loaded the bases on an error, a single and a walk before Cellura finished the inning with another strikeout. Decker opened the bottom half of the frame with a walk and scored when Grace Uribe doubled down the right field line to cut the deficit to one.
Following a leadoff single in the top of the seventh, Cellura retired the next three hitters to give the Aztec bats a chance in the bottom of the inning. With one away in the bottom of the inning, Jazmin Williams got the Aztecs going with a hustle double down the left field line. The next hitter, Yellen, singled down the right field line and Williams moved up to third, but the throw from the outfield was bad and Williams was able to hustle home and tie the game. Kate Farren ran for Yellen at first base and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. After a popup accounted for the second out, Decker stepped up to the plate. She took a ball and then flicked a single over the head of the second baseman and Farren got her hand on the plate just ahead of the tag to win the game for the Aztecs by a 5-4 score.
THE NOTE
Since Stacey Nuveman Deniz took over as head coach for the 2022 season, the Aztecs are a perfect 14-0 against SJSU. San Diego State improved to 25-10 against the Spartans since San Jose State joined the Mountain West ahead of the 2014 season.
THE NOTE II
San Diego State extended its winning streak on Senior Days to four games and improved to 4-0 under Nuveman Deniz in the final home game of the regular season.
THE NOTE III
Both teams had the same number of hits and errors as Friday night’s game. For the second straight day, Cece Cellura earned the win while Lacie Ham took the loss.
UP NEXT
As the second seed in the Mountain West Tournament, San Diego State will play at 6 p.m. on Thursday night against the winner of third-seeded Fresno State and sixth-seeded San Jose State. The tournament, of course, will be held at SDSU Softball Stadium and broadcast on the Mountain West Network.
San Diego State 5, San Jose State 4
San Jose State (22-27, 9-13) 001 210 0 – 4 6 2
San Diego State (33-16, 16-6) 110 001 2 – 5 9 2
W – Cellura, 15-7; L – Ham, 7-8
HR: Noriega, SJSU (2); McDowell, SJSU (2)