May 4, 2004
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - A historic fourth inning helped spark the San Diego State softball team to a 6-0 non-conference victory Louisiana Tech on Tuesday afternoon, its 13th win in 14 contests. In that inning alone, the single-season Aztec walks record and career RBI records were tied. The game was the first of five in the last week that SDSU Field will be the primary home facility for Aztec softball. A new stadium is due to be completed by October and ready for play in 2005.
After a pair of bases-loaded singles by right fielder Bree Boyer (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and center fielder Janna Kovensky (San Diego, Calif.) gave SDSU a 2-0 lead in the second inning, the stage was set for the memorable fourth inning.
Left fielder Erin Mahoney (Westchester, Calif.) led off the frame with a walk and shortstop Meagan Hartung (San Diego, Calif.) followed with a walk of her own, her second in the game and 28th on the season, tying the SDSU single-season record with Anne Marie Risquez's 1998 season.
Following a sacrifice bunt by Boyer in which Mahoney scored on the play and Hartung advanced to third, Kovensky walked and stole second, the stolen base being her 17th in 17 attempts this year and 57th in her career, just two shy of tying the SDSU career record of 59, set by Kelley Santa Cruz (1996-98).
Third baseman Kelcy Murphy (San Diego, Calif.) then followed with an RBI ground out to second base to score Hartung and give Murphy 102 RBI in her career, tying the senior with Erryn Gutjahr (1996-99) for the Aztec career record.
Following an RBI single by second baseman Joann Figueroa (Phoenix, Ariz.), the Aztecs took a 5-0 lead and added to it with a single tally in the fifth off of a single by catcher Danielle Touhey (Fresno, Calif.), wild pitch, infield single and RBI ground out.
For the first time this season, all three Aztec hurlers, Cori Janelli (Visalia, Calif.), Deanna Richards (Visalia, Calif.) and Celena Velasquez (Tucson, Ariz.), saw action and combined for the shutout, SDSU's 11th of the season. Janelli threw the first four to earn the win, allowing only an infield single to the leadoff batter in the first.
"Cori was outstanding," head coach Kathy Van Wyk said. "She had them tied in knots. The movement of her drop ball was phenomenal that they were not close to hitting it."
Richards threw the next two innings and allowed three hits, while Velasquez wrapped up the victory with a one-hit seventh.
"I'm glad to see us peaking in all the right categories at the right time. It's nice to see it happen consistently. It's comfortable being able to not miss a beat when we bring in new players into the game. It speaks to the depth and talent of this team."
San Diego State closes out using SDSU Field as its primary field this weekend with a pair of Mountain West Conference doubleheaders, at 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday against Utah and BYU, respectively.
"I don't know about the players, but I will definitely find it sentimental," Van Wyk said. "There has been a lot of blood, sweat and tears on this field the last 10 years."
The Aztecs are right in the middle of a tight conference championship race with Colorado State, leading by one game with four to go (the Rams host New Mexico for four games, two each on Saturday and Sunday). SDSU does hold the tiebreaker for the championship having defeated CSU three-of-four meetings this season.
"I will not feel comfortable until these four games are over," Van Wyk said. "We can clinch if we win three-of-four, but we want all four. We would love for UNM to beat them, but we do not want to count on that."
Three seniors, the winningest class in SDSU history, will play their final home games on Saturday - Figueroa, Kovensky and Murphy.
"It will be emotional as always with the seniors playing their final home games," Van Wyk said.
MWC Standings Through May 6, 2004
San Diego State - 13-3, 35-19 overall
Colorado State - 12-4, 36-13
BYU - 8-7, 31-16
Utah - 7-9, 19-28
UNLV - 4-12, 22-33
New Mexico - 3-12, 29-29