March 11, 2007
PALO ALTO, Calif. - Sophomore Melissa Owens (San Diego/Christian HS) went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBI to lead the San Diego State softball team past Loyola-Chicago, 5-0, in the consolation game of the Stanford Invitational at Palo Alto, Calif., on Sunday afternoon. The Aztecs, who fell to the Ramblers (3-10), 3-0, on Friday, improved to 14-11 with the victory.
Owens had three of San Diego State's nine hits in the game. Junior Tamani Wells (Concord, Calif.) added two hits and scored two runs.
SDSU got on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning when Wells, who reached on a fielder's choice, scored on a double to right field by sophomore Monica Alnes (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.).
After a 1-2-3 second inning, Wells hit a two-out triple down the right field line in the third. On the next pitch, Owens came within inches of her third home run of the tournament when she laced a double of the right-center field wall to score Wells and put the Aztecs up, 2-0.
SDSU freshman Katy Erickson (Tustin, Calif.) recorded her first career RBI in the fourth when her groundout to second scored freshman pinch-runner Stefanie Quichocho-Rosario (San Diego/Morse HS), giving the Aztecs a 3-0 advantage.
SDSU tacked on two more runs in the fifth to open a 5-0 lead. Freshman Brittany Knudsen (San Diego/Escondido HS) walked to lead off the inning. She would score two batters later, when Owens lined a shot over the center field fence for her third home run in five games.
Junior Christina Ross (Santa Clarita, Calif.) (9-5) struck out six and allowed five hits to earn the shutout for the Aztecs. She gave up two walks and induced 11 groundouts.
San Diego State will return to Montezuma Mesa after playing 11 consecutive road/neutral games for a midweek game against Fairfield at 6 p.m. Tuesday.