March 28, 2003
SAN DIEGO - Aztec freshman Bridgette Caron crossed home plate in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the San Diego State softball team (24-14) above the New Mexico Lobos and give SDSU a 1-0 victory in the first game against New Mexico Friday afternoon at SDSU Field. The Aztecs would go on to win the second game of the doubleheader, 5-3, to open the conference season with a 2-0 league mark. With the losses, New Mexico dropped to 15-23-1 on the season, 1-2 in conference action.
Pitcher Celena Velasquez (7-4) threw nine scoreless innings for the Aztecs, allowing just one hit while striking out seven. The win marked Velasquez's seventh of her freshman campaign and her third complete-game shutout of the season.
SDSU capitalized on New Mexico's ninth-inning errors in game one, as Lacey Craft reached first on an error before Caron pinch ran for the sophomore. Right fielder Jennifer Funk also took advantage of a second Lobo error in the frame, reaching in her at-bat on New Mexico's shortstop error while Caron came home.
San Diego State took a 2-0 lead in game two, with sophomore Erin Mahoney scoring on a New Mexico error in the first inning and junior Joann Figueroa driving in third baseman Kelcy Murphy in the second.
In the top of the third, freshman shortstop Ashley VanBoxmeer belted a three-run homer to left field to put the Lobos up, 3-2.
SDSU answered in its half of the frame, producing three runs on four hits to take the 5-3 lead. Murphy's two-out RBI single to right center paved the way for the Aztecs' comeback, as Murphy would steal second while Craft came home on a wild pitch, and then score a run herself on a Bianca Cruz single.
Sophomore pitcher Bre DeSanta (11-4) preserved the 5-3 lead for SDSU, scattering just six more hits and striking out a total of five Lobo batters as she picked up her 11th win of the season.
The Aztecs continue league play this weekend, facing the Colorado State Rams on Sunday for a 10:00 a.m. doubleheader at SDSU Field.