May 16, 2003
FULLERTON, Calif. - Aztec pitcher Bre DeSanta fanned 12 batters while junior third baseman Kelcy Murphy hit her second home run of the season as the fifth-seeded San Diego State softball team (39-20) defeated eighth-seeded Rider University in game five of Region 6 NCAA tournament action at Cal State Fullerton Thursday night. With the win, SDSU advances to the next round where it will play either Oklahoma State or Oregon in a contest tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. The loss was Rider's second in the double elimination tournament, ending its season with a 24-25 overall mark.
DeSanta (18-5) struck out seven of the first nine Broncs she faced, scattering just four hits and giving up one run in her complete-game effort. DeSanta, with 194 strikeouts in the 2003 campaign, is now just 10 strikeouts shy of breaking the Aztec single-season strikeout record.
Sophomore Jennifer Funk was the first Aztec to get a hit for SDSU. She scored in the third inning off a Joann Figueroa single to left field. Bronc Jamie Farley tied the game at one run a piece in the fourth frame with her home run to left. San Diego State answered in its half of the inning when Murphy launched the ball over the left field wall for what proved to be the game-winning run as the Aztecs went up for good, 2-1.
San Diego State's game against the loser of the Cowgirls/Ducks game can be heard live over the internet at goaztecs.com.