San Diego State (14-16 overall) split a doubleheader with Tulsa (14-25, 3-6 WAC) today on the SDSU Softball Field. The Aztecs fell in the first game 5-0, but rebounded with a dramatic three-run seventh in the second game to pull out the 5-4 come-from-behind victory. SDSU improved its Western Athletic Conference record to 7-2 and won the three-game weekend series with the Golden Hurricane by winning two of the three games.
In the first game of the twin-bill, Tulsa rattled off 10 hits in the 5-0 win and gave the Aztecs their first home loss of the season (6-1). Golden Hurricane pitcher Angela Wedlake (4-6) picked up the win after a four hit, complete game shutout. Sophomore Sandra Durazo was dealt the loss, dropping her record on the year to 10-8. The shutout was just the Aztecs third on the season.
In the series finale, Tulsa jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning. In the bottom of the fifth, senior first baseman Erryn Gutjahr extended her hitting streak to 10 games (a team season-high) as she singled with the bases loaded to bring home Kellie Nordhagen and Chris Puccio to cut the lead to 3-2. Tulsa answered in the seventh with a run off of a wild pitch to go ahead 4-2 going into the bottom of the seventh. Sophomore shortstop Vanessa Villegas, who returned to action after missing the last two weeks due to an injury, got the ball rolling for SDSU in the seventh inning with a one out single. Puccio followed with a walk to bring up Nordhagen with two runners on and one out. Nordhagen doubled to left center, scoring the runner from second and cutting the lead to 4-3. With two outs in the inning, Gutjahr was the hero as she hit a two-out, RBI single to bring home Nordhagen, followed by Puccio who scored the winning run on the errant throw by the Tulsa shortstop. The 5-4 comeback win marked the first time this season that the Aztecs have won a game in which they trailed after the sixth inning.
SDSU returns to action next weekend as it travels to Hawai'i for a three game series with the Rainbows on Friday and Saturday, April 9-10.
Game 1TULSA 100 102 1 - 5 10 0SDSU 000 000 0 - 0 0 2
Durazo and Bunker, Gregory (6); Wedlake and Hasselbar
WP - Wedlake (4-6)LP - Durazo (10-8)2B - Tulsa: Reed 2, SDSU: Gutjahr3B - Tulsa: GutierrezSH - Tulsa: Green 2, SDSU: Puccio
Game 2TULSA 002 010 1 - 4 8 2SDSU 000 020 3 - 5 8 2
Gregory and Johnson; Magill and Hasselbar, Wedlake (7)
WP - Gregory (3-7)LP - Magill (7-8)2B - SDSU: NordhagenSH - SDSU: Nordhagen