March 10, 2006
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State softball team split a doubleheader against Cal State Fullerton at the SDSU Softball Stadium on Friday night. The Aztecs (14-5) defeated the Titans (14-12), 3-1, in the first game, but fell, 8-0, in the weather-delayed nightcap. Both teams are receiving votes in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate and USA Today/NFCA national polls.
In the first game, sophomore pitcher Christina Ross (6-3) struck out a season-high eight batters over seven innings to lead SDSU to a 3-1 victory. The Santa Clarita, Calif., native allowed one run on six hits and did not issue a walk.
Freshman Melissa Owens, who was named the Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Week on Wednesday, got the Aztecs on the scoreboard in the fourth inning when she hit her first pitch over the right field wall for her second home run of the season.
SDSU used small ball to get two more runs in the fifth. With sophomore Chrissie Markham on second after a walk and a stolen base, senior Meagan Hartung doubled to center for the Aztecs' first run of the inning. Sophomore Tamani Wells moved Hartung to third with a bunt single. Following a fly out, sophomore Megan McDonald laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to plate Hartung, putting SDSU up 3-0.
Jenna Wheeler scored the Titans' lone run off a two-out triple in the top of the seventh by Katie Gollhardt.
Hartung went 1-for-2 with a walk and two stolen bases for the Aztecs. Wells (1-for-2), Owens (1-for-3) and freshman Erin Floros (1-for-3) also had a hit in the game.
Cal State Fullerton bounced back in the nightcap for an 8-0 victory. SDSU fell behind early and was unable to regroup after a 33-minute weather delay, which featured both rain and hail.
McDonald (2-for-2, walk) and Floros (2-for-3) led the Aztec offense in the second game, while Wells and sophomore Taryin Casillas each went 1-for-3.
Senior pitcher Celena Velasquez (4-2) took the loss after allowing five hits and four runs over three innings. Owens pitched the final four innings and gave up four runs on six hits, and struck out five.
SDSU will host a doubleheader against Virginia at 1 p.m. Saturday at SDSU Softball Stadium.