March 31, 2006
Game 1 Final Stats
Game 2 Final Stats
PROVO, Utah - The San Diego State softball team earned a sweep over Brigham Young for the first time since March 30, 2002, on Friday night in Provo, Utah. The Aztecs (17-8, 2-0 Mountain West Conference) had a combined 24 hits in 8-1 and 10-0 wins over the Cougars (20-12, 2-2 MWC), a team that was picked to win the MWC by league coaches in the preseason poll.
In the first game with Brigham Young leading, 1-0, after a second inning sacrifice fly by Jodi Norton, SDSU exploded for four runs in the top of the third. Sophomore Chrissie Markham got things going for the Aztecs with a leadoff double to right-center field and advanced to third base on a passed ball by the Cougar catcher. Following a groundout, senior Meagan Hartung laced a single up the middle to score Markham. After a lineout and a double by freshman Erin Floros, sophomore Megan McDonald made it 3-1 SDSU with a two-out, two-run double to right-center on a 0-2 pitch. Freshman Monica Alnes followed with a double to right-center that plated McDonald to put SDSU up, 4-1.
Two innings later, McDonald struck again with two outs when she belted a 3-2 pitch over the center field fence for her fourth home run of the season and eighth of her collegiate career.
The Aztecs scored their final three runs in the seventh as sophomore Taryin Casillas hit a line drive home run over the left-center field wall.
Freshman pitcher Melissa Owens pitched the first three innings for SDSU and allowed one unearned run on five hits. Sophomore Christina Ross relieved Owens in the top of the fourth with two runners on and no outs. Ross got three consecutive outs on a sacrifice bunt, a strikeout and groundout. Ross went onto strike out three over the final four innings while giving up just three hits.
McDonald finished the game 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Owens (3-for-4) added three singles, and Alnes (2-for-3) and Hartung (2-for-4) contributed two hits apiece.
In the nightcap, the Aztecs continued where they left off in the first game with seven runs in the first three innings en route to 10-0 victory.
Five of the seven runs came in the first inning off of three hits. The big inning was highlighted by a three-run triple by Owens and an RBI single by Markham.
A two-out double in the second by McDonald scored Floros, who reached after being hit by a pitch, and a groundout by senior Bree Boyer gave SDSU a 7-0 lead.
The Aztecs added three more runs in the sixth off a sacrifice fly by McDonald and a two-out, two-run double by Casillas to seal the 10-0, six-inning win.
Owens went 3-for-3 with three RBI to lead the offense, while McDonald (1-for-2) and Casillas (1-for-4) had two RBI apiece. Markham (2-for-4) and Boyer (1-for-3) added solo RBI.
Ross allowed only two hits in the six-inning complete game win to improve her record to 8-5. She struck out three batters and did not issue a walk. Ross leads the MWC with a 1.04 ERA.
SDSU will stay in the Beehive State for a doubleheader against Utah beginning at noon MT Saturday.