Feb. 29, 2008
No. 20/21 SDSU 11, Saint Peter's 0
No. 20/21 SDSU 10, Harvard 1
SAN DIEGO - The No. 20/21 San Diego State softball team continued its winning ways Friday night with a pair of run-rule victories on the first day of the San Diego Classic I at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs, whose 14-4 record is tied with the 2006 squad for the best start in school history, shut out Saint Peter's, 11-0, in six innings in their first game and downed Harvard, 10-1, in five innings in the nightcap.
SDSU scored 21 runs over the two games on 21 hits, 10 walks and six errors by its opponents.
The offensive output was led by junior Tonye McCorkle (Santa Ana Heights, Calif.) who had three hits, four runs, four RBI, two walks and two stolen bases over the two games. Senior Tamani Wells (Concord, Calif.) (3-for-5, two runs) and freshman Jen Wisneski (Riverside, Calif.) (3-for-6, double, triple, four RBI) each batted over .500, while sophomore Brittany Knudsen scored four times and drew three walks.
In the first game, San Diego State saved its best until last, exploding for eight runs in the top of the sixth en route to the 11-0 win over the Peahens (0-1). The Aztecs, who continuously pressured the Saint Peter's defense with their speed, took advantage of four stolen bases, three sacrifice bunts, a sacrifice fly and five Peahen errors in the victory.
McCorkle singled twice, drove in two runs and scored twice to lead the offense. Freshman Taylor Sutton (Gilroy, Calif.) also had two hits with a run and an RBI, while junior Erin Floros (San Diego, Calif./Mt. Carmel HS) contributed two RBI. Knudsen (1-for-2, three runs, RBI) and sophomore Katy Erickson (Tustin, Calif.) (two runs) also had big games for SDSU, while redshirt sophomore Sydney Fleming (Oakland, Calif.) had her first career single in the sixth.
Freshman Brooke Petty (San Diego, Calif./Vista HS) was just as good in the circle for San Diego State as she allowed one hit over six scoreless innings. She struck out five without a walk to improve to 3-0 on the season.
In the nightcap, the Aztecs scored all their runs in the first three innings en route to the 10-1, five-inning victory. Wisneski hit a bases loaded triple in the first and added a run-scoring double in the second to post her first career four-RBI game. Wells added two hits, while McCorkle had another all-around game with two runs, two RBI and two walks.
Freshman Samantha Beasley (San Diego, Calif./Steele Canyon HS) scored twice, had two runs and made a diving catch to end the game, and also excelled in the circle for SDSU. She struck out four over three innings to improve to 3-1 on the young season. Beasley, the younger sister of former Aztec Amanda Beasley (2004-07), gave up just four hits without a walk to lower her ERA to 0.89.
Making her first appearance of the season, Wells gave up a run on two hits over the final two innings.
SDSU will continue its play in the San Diego Classic I with two games on Saturday. San Diego State will take on No. 4/7 UCLA at 2 p.m. before meeting Eastern Michigan, a team it beat, 3-0, on Thursday, at 4:30 p.m.