April 7, 2007
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State softball team allowed a bases loaded walk in the top of the 10th inning in a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Utah at SDSU Softball Stadium on Saturday. The Aztecs, who defeated the Utes (20-15-1, 1-3 MWC), 3-0, on Friday night, fell to 24-15 overall with the loss and 1-3 in conference play.
Sophomore Melissa Owens (San Diego/Christian HS) started the game for SDSU and struck out a career-high 12 batters over seven-plus innings. She allowed just five hits and one walk, before being replaced in the top of the eighth by junior Christina Ross (Santa Clarita, Calif.) after giving up a pair of leadoff hits.
Ross (16-8) came in the seventh with runners on second and third and no outs, but got out of the jam by getting the next three Utes out on a strikeout (Kelly Matthews), groundout (Diana Phillips) and a strikeout (Meghan Crouse).
The game would remain scoreless until the 10th, when Andrea Hoffman (single), Phillips (single) and Crouse (hit by pitch) loaded the bases with two outs. Hailey Davenport followed and drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch to score Hoffman with the only run of the game. Davenport was credited with an RBI on the play.
Ross took the loss after allowing one run on three hits over the final three innings. She struck out three and issued one walk.
The Aztecs managed only four hits over 10 innings against Utah pitcher Meghan Dyer. Sophomore Monica Alnes (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) had a double and three others - junior Tamani Wells (Concord, Calif.), junior Taryin Casillas (San Diego/Grossmont HS) and freshman Lindsey Marquez (Tustin, Calif.) - added a single apiece.
SDSU continues its play in the MWC with a doubleheader at Colorado State on Friday, beginning at 1:30 p.m. MT.