Feb. 18, 2007
AUSTIN, Texas - The San Diego State softball fell to No. 10 Texas, 5-0, in the championship game of the Texas Invitational at McCombs Field Sunday in Austin. The Aztecs (5-5) ended a four-game winning streak with the loss, while the Longhorns improved to 8-2 with the victory.
SDSU sophomore pitcher Melissa Owens (2-3) pitched well in the loss, striking out seven batters over four innings. She allowed two runs on five hits and one walk. Owens got the Aztecs out of a jam in the second and third inning.
After Texas had three consecutive singles to lead off the second, Owens struck out Kori Cook and Kelly Melone and got McKayla Pedilla to ground out weakly to SDSU second baseman Lauren Marquez (Tustin, Calif.).
With one out and a runner on third, Owens forced Longhorn catcher Megan Willis to miss an attempted squeeze bunt and the Aztecs tagged Shannon Thomas out at home. Owens then got Willis to ground out to SDSU shortstop Amanda Beasley (San Diego).
Texas finally got to Owens in the bottom of the fourth, however, when Kacie Gaskin hit a two-run homer over the left field fence to take a 2-0 lead. The Longhorns scored their final three runs of the game in the sixth for the 5-0 win.
Aztec junior Christina Ross tossed the final two innings and gave up three unearned runs on four hits. She struck out one and walked one.
Beasley and Owens each went 1-for-2 with a walk to lead SDSU, while junior Megan McDonald (Glendale, Ariz.) and sophomore Erin Floros (San Diego) each had one single apiece.
The Aztecs will play host to the Aztec Invitational next weekend, Friday, Feb. 23-Saturday, Feb. 25, at SDSU Softball Stadium. SDSU will get underway with a game against North Dakota State at 4:30 p.m. PST Friday.