Feb. 10, 2007
Kansas 3, San Diego State 2
No. 23 UMass 16, San Diego State 1 (6 innings)
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State softball team lost two games Saturday in the third day of the Campbell-Cartier Classic at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (1-2) fell to Kansas, 3-2, in the first game and then lost to No. 23 UMass, 16-1, in six innings in the nightcap.
In the first game, SDSU's late rally came up a bit short and it suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of the Jayhawks (2-2). Like San Diego State, Kansas is receiving votes in both preseason polls.
After falling down, 3-0, in the fifth inning, SDSU battled back to make it a game in the seventh. Following a groundout, junior Taryin Casillas (San Diego/Grossmont HS), senior Amanda Beasley (San Diego/Mount Miguel HS) and freshman Brittany Knudsen (San Diego/Escondido HS) recorded consecutive singles to load the bases.
Freshman Lindsey Marquez (Tustin, Calif.) had an RBI groundout to score Casillas from third and junior Tamani Wells (Concord, Calif.) followed with an infield single to knock in Beasley. With two outs, however, sophomore Erin Floros (San Diego/Mt. Carmel HS) popped up to the Kansas second baseman to end the threat.
Sophomore pitcher Melissa Owens (San Diego/Christian HS) (0-2) pitched effectively for 4 1/3 innings, scattering nine hits and two unearned runs. She also recorded seven strikeouts, one night after striking out a career-high nine batters in an Aztec loss. Junior Christina Ross (Santa Clarita, Calif.) pitched the final 1 2/3 innings and gave up three hits and one unearned run, while striking out two.
In the nightcap, SDSU struggled defensively again, committing six errors for the second time in three contests. The six miscues accounted for nine of the Minutewomen's 16 runs.
Casillas recorded her first double of the season in the second inning, while Marquez and junior Megan McDonald (Glendale, Ariz.) had the Aztecs' other two hits.
Ross (1-2) pitched the first four frames and gave up three earned runs. She had started the season by not allowing an earned run over 16 2/3 innings. Owens (1 1/3 IP) and sophomore Monica Alnes (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) also pitched for SDSU, and Wells made her collegiate career pitching debut, striking out two and allowing one hit in 2/3 innings.
The Aztecs wrap up their play in the Campbell-Cartier Classic with a game against No. 6 Oregon State at 2 p.m. Sunday.