Feb. 3, 2004
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State softball team (2-0) swept Point Loma Nazarene (2-2) in a season-opening doubleheader Tuesday afternoon. The visiting Aztecs took the first game, 4-1, and grabbed the second, 2-1. Pitchers Deanna Richards (Visalia, Calif.) and Celena Velasquez (Tucson, Ariz.) each earned complete-game victories against the NAIA school.
"I'm most pleased with the fact that we were perfect on defense and had great pitching," SDSU head coach Kathy Van Wyk said. "If we can go two games and give up two runs, we're going to have a real nice season. Both pitchers did a nice job and pitched smart games."
In game one, the Sea Lions tallied their first run in the second when left fielder Alexis Powell smashed a Richards fastball deep over the trees beyond the right field fence. The Sea Lions would get two additional base runners before right fielder Bridgette Caron (Fallbrook, Calif.) nailed Sea Lion shortstop Vanessa Parra at the plate to end the rally.
The Aztecs kept the momentum going in the third and erased the deficit with four runs. Catcher Danielle Touhey (Fresno, Calif.) doubled in the first two runs and later came around to score on a two-run single by second baseman Brittany Green (San Clemente, Calif.).
The 4-1 lead would be all Richards would need as she allowed two of her six hits over the final five innings.
In game two, Velasquez and PLNU's Laura Wiens settled into a pitchers' dual with neither team mounting a rally early on. In the top of the fourth, second baseman Joann Figueroa (Phoenix, Ariz.) had a one-out single for SDSU's first hit of the game. A Janna Kovensky (San Diego, Calif.) walk and Richards ground out moved the runners to second and third. Shorstop Bianca Cruz (Glendale, Ariz.) then smashed a line drive that PLNU shortstop Amber Randel dove and got on a bounce, but threw past first baseman Amy Nanson. Kovensky and Figueroa scored on the play.
Point Loma Nazarene rebounded in its half of the fourth when designated player Kelly Kalish drove in third baseman Ruth Atkins in with a single to left field to cut the lead in half, 2-1.
The Sea Lions brought the winning run to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the seventh when catcher Lisa Field walked to end a Velasquez stretch of nine straight batters retired, but Velasquez completed the doubleheader sweep with a fielders choice to shortstop. Velasquez allowed four hits in her complete game victory.
The Aztecs travel to the Long Beach State Tournament and play No. 5 Washington at 5 p.m. on Friday. SDSU faces Santa Clara and Long Beach State on Saturday and Washington and UCLA on Sunday.