April 17, 2003
SAN DIEGO - Behind a 3-for-3 effort at the plate from Aztec right fielder Jennifer Funk and a three-RBI game for SDSU's first baseman, Jacque Vaca, the San Diego State softball team defeated Mountain West Conference rival Brigham Young University, 5-2, Thursday afternoon at SDSU Field. With the win, the Aztecs improved to 31-14 on the season and own a perfect 7-0 mark in league play. The Cougars, meanwhile, dropped to 27-11 overall, 5-4 MWC.
Aztec pitcher Celena Velasquez (11-4), whose 0.77 ERA in conference games is a league-best, allowed just two runs while holding BYU, the Mountain West's conference leader in team batting average, to only four hits. Velasquez picked up the 11th win of her freshman campaign as she threw her 10th complete game of the year.
BYU scored first when junior Oli Keohohou, who reached on a lead-off single to center field, came home on a Lauren Watson ground out to second base in the first inning.
San Diego State posted two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning when Vaca's single to left field drove in center fielder Janna Kovensky and left fielder Erin Mahoney. The Aztecs would produce two more runs in the second inning when Funk and second baseman Joann Figueroa notched back-to-back hits before Mahoney came to plate and hit an RBI single to bring Funk home.
Later in the frame, Mahoney and Figueroa stole second and third, respectively, before Cougar pitcher Cynthia Fallowfield (6-3) walked Kovensky to load the bases. Mandy Flint then came in on relief for Fallowfield prior to Vaca's at-bat. The junior flied out to center field, but brought in Figueroa to put the Aztecs up, 4-1.
The Cougars would go on to score one more run in the third when Millie Jones came home on a Watson sacrifice fly. BYU's third-inning effort wasn't enough, however, as Funk sent the ball over the left field wall for the first home run of her career in the sixth inning to put SDSU up for good, 5-2.
Due to a rain delay, the second game of the doubleheader was not played and will not be made up. The Aztecs return to action Saturday afternoon when they face Utah for a 1 p.m. doubleheader at SDSU Field.