April 26, 2003
LAS VEGAS - For the first time since May 11, 2002, the San Diego State softball team lost to a Mountain West Conference opponent, as the Aztecs fell in game one of their doubleheader at UNLV, 3-0, Saturday afternoon. SDSU rebounded in the second game by posting a 5-0 victory after seeing an end to its 13-game winning streak. The Aztecs now own a 34-15 overall record and still lead the league with a 10-1 mark in conference contests. The Rebels, meanwhile, improved to 20-33 and picked up their fourth win of the year in conference play.
Aztec freshman pitcher Celena Velasquez (13-4) pitched a one-hitter and struck out eight Rebels in leading SDSU to a 5-0 shutout of UNLV in the second game of the doubleheader. Velasquez has won her last eight starts and has a 1.62 ERA.
San Diego State scored single runs in the first, second and third innings of the second game to build a 3-0 lead going into the fourth frame. Jennifer Funk would go on to seal the 5-0 win with her two-run homer in the sixth inning.
SDSU tallied a total of 10 hits in game two, highlighted by junior first baseman Jacque Vaca's 2-for-3 performance at the plate. Vaca also notched a double and drove in two runs.
Earlier in the day, the Rebels scored their first of three runs in game one in the opening frame when Bridget Byrne scored on an Aztec error. UNLV went on to produce two more runs, one each in the fourth and fifth innings, to capture the 3-0 win.
Aztec sophomore left fielder Erin Mahoney was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate, while junior second baseman Joann Figueroa and freshman pitcher Deanna Richards also contributed hits for the Aztecs. Richards (6-6), who started in the circle for the first time since her outing against Stanford on March 22, gave up just six hits and allowed only one earned run. She struck out five and did not walk a single batter. Her efforts, however, were not enough as the Aztec defense committed two errors and Richards picked up her sixth loss of the season.
SDSU plays Colorado State in Fort Collins, Colo., on Friday, May 2. The MWC doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. (MDT).