March 9, 2008
TEMPE, Ariz. - The No. 17/21 San Diego State softball team defeated Pacific, 3-2, in the final day of the Diamond Devil Invitational Sunday afternoon in Tempe, Ariz. The Aztecs, who avenged a 4-1 loss to the Tigers (11-14) on Friday, improved to 19-8 with the victory.
After loading the bases in the bottom of the first inning and failing to score with two outs, SDSU took advantages of its chances in the second. Redshirt junior Dani Sidoti (Tucson, Ariz.) led off with a single and stole second base two batters later with sophomore Brittany Knudsen (San Diego, Calif./Escondido HS) at the plate. Knudsen then drove the 0-2 pitch up the middle to give San Diego State the early 1-0 lead.
The Aztecs tacked on two more runs in the fifth when sophomore Lindsey Marquez' (Tustin, Calif.) single with the bases loaded scored freshman Jen Wisneski (Riverside, Calif.) and senior Tamani Wells (Concord, Calif.).
Nicole Matson brought Pacific to within a run with a two-run homer in the sixth, her fourth of the season, off SDSU freshman Samantha Beasley (San Diego, Calif./Steele Canyon HS). Senior Christina Ross (Santa Clarita, Calif.) then replaced Beasley and struck out Alyce Jorgensen and got Briana Santos to fly out to left field to end the inning.
In the sixth, Sidoti and junior Christine Kulick (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) reached on a pair of infield singles and, two batters later, were replaced on base by sophomores Stefanie Quichocho-Rosario (San Diego, Calif./Morse HS) and Katy Erickson (Tustin, Calif.), respectively. Wells then walked to load the bases for the third time of the game for San Diego State. Tiger pitcher Chelsea Engle, however, struck out junior Tonye McCorkle (Santa Ana Heights, Calif.) to keep the score at 3-2 in favor of the Aztecs.
Ross retired Pacific in order in the seventh with a strikeout and two groundouts to shortstop.
Beasley (4-1) pitched well in 5 1/3 innings for SDSU, as she scattered two runs on four hits and three walks. She also struck out two before giving way to Ross in the sixth. Ross, who was named the MWC Pitcher of the Week for the third straight week on Tuesday, struck out two over a perfect 1 2/3 innings of relief to earn her first save of the season.
Sidoti had two hits to lead SDSU's offense while Wells singled and drew two walks.
San Diego State will play host to the San Diego Classic II next weekend at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs will play five games with four of them against teams either nationally ranked or receiving votes in the latest polls. SDSU opens with Cal State Fullerton at 4:30 p.m. Friday.