March 16, 2007
SAN DIEGO -
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Sophomore Monica Alnes (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) capped a six-run second inning with her first career grand slam and junior Christina Ross (Santa Clarita, Calif.) struck out an SDSU career-high 11 batters to lead the San Diego State softball team to a 7-1 victory over Fordham in the first day of the Aztec Classic Friday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs improved to 16-11 with the win, while the Rams fell to 9-12.
SDSU got on the scoreboard in the first inning as freshman Brittany Knudsen (San Diego/Escondido HS) reached on a fielding error by the Fordham third baseman and scored on an infield single by sophomore Dani Sidoti (Tucson, Ariz.).
The Aztecs scored the next six runs of the game in the second, all with two outs, to open up a commanding 7-0 lead. SDSU got its first run in the inning when freshman pinch runner Stephanie Frasca (San Diego/San Marcos HS) scored from second base on a throwing error by Ram pitcher Sara Kinney. Knudsen, who walked and reached third on the Kinney error, made it 3-0 Aztecs after scoring on another Fordham error, this time by catcher Allison Storc. With junior Tamani Wells (Concord, Calif.) on third (reached on error), sophomore Melissa Owens (San Diego/Christian HS) on second (bunt single), and junior Megan McDonald (Glendale, Ariz.) on first (walk), Alnes drilled the first pitch well over the left-center field fence to put the game out of reach.
Owens went 2-for-3 to lead the Aztec offense, while five others had one hit apiece.
Ross allowed one run on four hits to improve to 10-5 on the season. Her 11 strikeouts came against just one walk, as she lowered her season ERA to 1.27.
San Diego State, winners of three straight, continue its play in the Aztec Classic with a game against Fairfield at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Aztecs defeated the Stags, 11-4, on Wednesday night..