March 4, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. -
<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>San Diego State's junior pitcher Celena Velasquez tossed her first career no-hitter, leading the Aztecs to a day one split at the Louisville Slugger Classic on the campus of Arizona State. SDSU defeated Southern Utah, 5-0, before being no-hit themselves by Sundevil ace Katherine Burkhart in game two, falling 1-0. The Aztecs move to 12-7 on the season, while the Thunderbirds fall to 1-6 and ASU improves to 14-3. <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
Velasquez (6-1) pitched a complete game, her fifth this season, with nine strikeouts and no walks. The only marks against her were three hit batters and an error. None of the runners advanced past first. The no-hitter marks the first for the Aztecs since Bre DeSanta turned the trick against Nevada, March 18, 2003.
SDSU was led at the plate in game one by three freshmen, Chrissie Markham, who went 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored, Allison Smith, who hit her first career home run and Kristen Carranza, who was perfect from the plate with a pair of doubles and a run scored.
Game two for the Aztecs was a pitchers duel, as Burkhart and Cori Janelli battled it out for six-and-a-third innings before the Sundevils scratched out a run in the bottom of the seventh on a bases-loaded squeeze bunt that allowed Ashley Wershky to score from third.
In the game, Janelli struck out a career-high 13 batters, scattering four hits in her stint before giving way to Velasquez with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh. She walked one and hit two batters. Erin Mahoney broke up Burkhart's perfect game, reaching on an error in the third inning.
SDSU prepares for day two with a pair of games with new start times, against SUU at 10 a.m. MT, and ASU at noon MT.