March 15, 2008
No. 25/rv Long Beach State 1, No. 23/25 San Diego State 0
No. 23/25 SDSU 3, No. 5/5 Texas A&M 0
SAN DIEGO - The No. 23/25 San Diego State softball team shut out No. 5/5 Texas A&M, 3-0, in the final game of the night Saturday at the San Diego Classic II. The victory is the third for the Aztecs (22-9) against a 2007 Women's College World Series in a game that was called in the bottom of the sixth inning because of unplayable field conditions due to rain and hail. Earlier in the night, SDSU suffered a 1-0 setback to No. 25 Long Beach State.
In the nightcap, San Diego State used the arm of senior Christina Ross (Santa Clarita, Calif.), the bat of sophomore Brittany Knudsen and the gloves of junior Erin Floros (San Diego, Calif./Mt. Carmel HS), junior Christine Kulick (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) and freshman Jen Wisneski (Riverside, Calif.) to upset the fifth-ranked Aggies (28-5).
Ross, a two-time all-Mountain West Conference selection, struck out 10 over six innings to improve to 13-8 on the season. She allowed five hits and four walks, while stranding 11 Texas A&M runners, including bases loaded in the second inning, and two on base four other times.
After stranding a pair of runners in the first, the Aztecs got to work in their half of the frame. Knudsen led off with a single and moved to second on senior Tamani Wells' (Concord, Calif.) sacrifice bunt. Following a groundout and a Floros walk, sophomore Lindsey Marquez (Tustin, Calif.) ripped a line drive off the glove and face of Aggie pitcher Rhiannon Kliesing (8-3). The ball ricocheted toward the right field, which allowed Knudsen to score from second. Kliesing would stay in the game and would retire the next SDSU batter on a groundout.
Texas A&M put two runners on board in the second when Holly Ridley walked and Alex Reynolds reached on a San Diego State error. Ross responded by striking out two straight Aggies before allowing a walk to Macie Morrow to load the bases with two outs. Ross then induced Jami Lobpries to pop up to first to end the threat.
The Aztecs struck for two more runs in the second. After two straight strikeouts, Wisneski kept the inning alive by singling to center. Knudsen followed by taking the 0-1 pitch well-over the right field fence, her second of the season and sixth of her career.
The 3-0 lead would be plenty for Ross as, backed by a solid defense, she kept getting the team out of jam after jam. Another big play came in the fourth when Natalie Villarreal (single) and Morrow (throwing error) each reached base with one out with the Aggies' middle of the lineup looming. Ross then got Lobpries to lineout sharply to Wisneski at shortstop and Megan Gibson to Kulick at third in plays that surely saved a run.
Ross allowed a pair of singles in the fifth, but then retired five straight to end the night, including three by strikeout and another on a nice play by Floros at first to end the fifth with two on base.
Senior Megan McDonald (Glendale, Ariz.) hit a two-out single in the bottom of the sixth inning before the game was stopped because of a downpour of rain and hail. About 10 minutes later, the umpires agreed that the field conditions were unplayable, ending the game in favor of SDSU.
Knudsen went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI to lead the offense.
The first game of the night featured a pitcher's duel between Long Beach State's (19-8) Brooke Turner and Ross from San Diego State.
The game was settled in the bottom of the sixth when the 49ers' Franciska Morlet led of the bottom of the sixth with a single and moved to second on single by Jonae Perez. Following a fly out, Jennifer Griffin blooped a single into left, which allowed Morlet to score with the lone run of the contest.
Ross pitched well, scattering one run on six hits over six innings of work. She struck out five without a walk, but it wasn't enough as Turner limited SDSU to just three hits. Turner had six strikeouts and one walk in seven innings.
Wisneski doubled for San Diego State, while Wells and junior Tonye McCorkle (Santa Ana Heights, Calif.) each added singles.
SDSU will wrap up its play in the San Diego Classic II with a solo game against Iowa State at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.