Feb. 5, 2005
SAN DIEGO -
<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>San Diego State pitchers Cori Janelli and Celena Velasquez picked right up where they left off from day one of the Aztec Invitational, leading the Aztecs to a sweep in softball of No. 20 Long Beach State (3-1) and UC Riverside (1-3). SDSU (4-0) plays in the final day of the Invitational Sunday afternoon against Saint Mary's (0-4), game time is set for 2 p.m.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
"We are excited by our strong start this season," head coach Kathy Van Wyk said. "With Celena and Cori, we feel that we can go out and be in and win every game."
The first game of the day for the Aztecs was versus No. 20 LBSU, a team SDSU lost twice to last season and will play at least twice more this year. Janelli cooled down what had been hot bats for the 49ers, holding them to two runs in a 3-2 Aztec victory.
"We played an excellent Long Beach State squad and found a way to win," Van Wyk said. "A victory like this over a top-20 opponent is a real boost for our team."
SDSU jumped on top early with a solo homerun by senior catcher Danielle Touhey in the top of the second, then added to the lead with an RBI single by freshman Taryin Casillas in the top of the fourth. Casillas tacked on what would be the winning run with a solo shot in the top of the seventh. Janelli (2-0) got the first two outs in the bottom of the seventh before LBSU smacked a pair of singles and a double, along with an Aztec error, to score a pair and have the game-tying run on third. Velasquez came into the game in relief and got a strikeout in three pitches to pick up her first save and close out the win.
In the second game, Velasquez (2-0) returned to the circle and tossed her second complete game in two days, striking out a career-high 12 Riverside batters in the 5-1 Aztec win. In the first two days of the season, she has given up no earned runs in 13.1 innings of work, striking out 19 and walking one, with two wins and a save.
"Celena was magnificent for us today," Van Wyk said. "We got on top of Riverside early and that allowed her to go out and pitch loose. Add to that coming into a tough situation the game before and getting the save. It just goes to show you how good Celena is."
SDSU picked up a run in the top of the first when Touhey hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to score junior Meagan Hartung. The Aztecs scored two more in the third on a Touhey single and a Megan McDonald sacrifice fly. SDSU finished the scoring for the night with another two-spot in the top of the sixth on a Dani Sidoti double and Taryin Casillas sacrifice.