May 11, 2001
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Senior third baseman Tashie Aguinaga singled home freshman center fielder Janna Kovensky with the game-winning run in the 10th inning as third-seeded San Diego State moved to the Mountain West Conference championship game with a 4-3 victory over fourth-seeded New Mexico on Friday. The victory means the Aztecs must dispose of one more opponents at the league tournament to win the conference championship and earn the program's first NCAA tournament berth.
The Aztecs, which won their school-record 38th game of the season, will play the survivor of the other semifinal game between undefeated top-seeded Brigham Young and second-seeded Utah in the championship of the double-elimination tournament.
"This is probably the best all-around game I have ever seen us play," head coach Kathy Van Wyk said. "We made great defensive plays. We had great clutch hitting and we made big pitches when we needed to. I am so proud of this team."
After throwing a pair of one-hitters on Thursday, senior right-hander Sandra Durazo threw 148 pitches, 94 for strikes, added to her school record for victories by winning for the 27th time this season.
San Diego State took an early lead in the first inning. With two on, Kovensky hit a three-run homer down the left field line. Her third home run of the season gave the Aztecs a 3-0 lead.
New Mexico responded with two runs in the bottom of the first. With one on, designated player Kathy Moore hit her first of two home runs on the afternoon to pull New Mexico to within 3-2.
Unlike Thursday, when Durazo allowed just two hits in 14 innings of work, the senior frequently worked out of jams. The Aztecs all-time leader in victories scattered 11 hits and stranded nine Lobos on the afternoon. Durazo had only three innings in which she faced the minimum and worked out of problems in the fourth and sixth innings when the first two batters reached base.
In the fifth inning, the Lobos tied the game on a solo home run to left field by Moore.
The score remained tied until the 10th inning. With one out, Kovensky reached on a fielder's choice and promptly stole second base. It was the eighth stolen base of the season for the freshman. Aguinaga then singled on a 0-1 pitch to center field, scoring Kovensky with the game-winning run.
With the wind gusting up to 25 mph out to left field, Durazo faced Moore to open the bottom of the 10th, but got the long-ball threat to pop-up to third base. The senior retired the next two batters to put San Diego State into the championship game.
San Diego State now waits to learn its opponent in the championship game. On Friday afternoon Brigham Young and Utah play in the other semifinal game. If the Cougars win, The Aztecs will face BYU on Saturday in a best of three-game championship. If Utah wins, the Cougars and Utes will meet once again tomorrow, with the winner set to face the Aztecs in the championship game. In that scenario, the winner of the BYU-Utah semifinal contest would have to defeat San Diego State twice to earn the conference title.
(3) San Diego State 4, (4) New Mexico 3 (10 innings)
San Diego State 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 - 4 11 0New Mexico 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 - 3 11 3Sandra Durazo and Shauna Fisher. Hayley Punter, Amy Dumas (2nd) and Tiffani Chambers.
WP Durazo (27-12). LP Dumas (18-8). S none.
LOB San Diego State 9, New Mexico 9. DP New Mexico 1, San Diego State 0.
2B UNM: Marianna Fenelli. 3B none. HR SDSU: Janna Kovensky. UNM: Kathy Moore 2. SB SDSU: Janna Kovensky. CS none. SH SDSU: Tiffany
Goudy, Sarah Hershman. UNM: Tiffani Chambers, Rachael Wennekamp. SF none.
T 2:45. A TBA.