SDSU Softball Splits MWC Opening Doubleheader with BYU

April 2, 2004

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

PROVO, Utah - The San Diego State softball team rebounded from a game one loss to BYU in a Mountain West Conference doubleheader on Friday night to defeat the Cougars in game two, 5-2. BYU won the first game, 6-2. The Aztecs are 22-17, 1-1 in MWC play, and the Cougars are 20-11, 2-2 in the MWC.

Third baseman Brittany Green (San Clemente, Calif.) drove in the winning runs of game two with a sixth-inning single that bounded off the first base bag and into right field. First baseman Kelcy Murphy (San Diego, Calif.) and center fielder Janna Kovensky (San Diego, Calif.), who each singled, scored on the play to give San Diego State a 4-2 lead.

Shortstop Meagan Hartung (San Diego, Calif.) hit her first career home run over the right-center field in the top of the seventh to give the Aztecs an insurance run and 5-2 advantage.

An RBI triple by catcher Lauren Watson down the right field line in the first gave BYU a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Third baseman Ashlyn Russell then added to the Cougar lead with a line-drive home run over the center field wall in the third.

The Aztecs came back in the fourth. Murphy doubled to left center and was followed by single to right center by second baseman Joann Figueroa (Phoenix, Ariz.). An RBI ground out to second by right fielder Bree Boyer (Huntington Beach, Calif.) scored Murphy to cut the Cougar lead to 2-1.

San Diego State was assisted by two Cougar errors in the fifth to tie the game. Designated player Danielle Touhey (Fresno, Calif.) reached on an error by the BYU second baseman and pitcher Deanna Richards (Visalia, Calif.) sacrificed Touhey's pinch runner, Jamie Burton (Carlsbad, Calif.), to second. Burton scored when the Cougar catcher attempted to pick her off second and the errant throw deflected off the Cougar second baseman and into left field.

Four San Diego State batters contributed two hits each: Hartung, Kovensky, Murphy and Figueroa. Richards threw the complete-game victory, allowing five hits and two runs.

In game one, pitcher Cori Janelli (Visalia, Calif.) helped her own cause in the top of the second with a two-run double down the left field line, scoring first baseman Lacey Craft (Valley Center, Calif.) and second baseman Figueroa. Figueroa would lead the Aztecs with two hits in the game.

Five singles in the Cougar third helped BYU score three runs to take a 3-2 lead. The big hit came from left fielder Belinda Osborn, a two-RBI line drive single up the middle. An earlier RBI single from designated player Krystle Chamberlain ended an impressive Aztec pitching streak - not allowing an earned run in 45.2 innings, including the past 21.1 innings completely spotless. Janelli herself had thrown 16.2 consecutive scoreless innings and allowed only three earned runs in her 61.1 innings of work.

A double by Watson in the fifth gave BYU two insurance runs and the Cougars held on for the game one 6-2 victory.

Figueroa led the Aztec offense with two hits.

The Aztecs have a quick turnaround and head north to Salt Lake City to play Utah in a MWC doubleheader at noon MST on Saturday. Their first home MWC games will be in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on April 9 against Colorado State.