April 24, 2008
Brigham Young 7, No. 19 SDSU 4
No. 19 SDSU 4, Brigham Young 0
PROVO, Utah - The No. 19 San Diego State softball team salvaged a split with a 4-0 victory over Brigham Young Thursday night at Gail Miller Field in Provo, Utah. Including the 7-4 setback in the opener, the Aztecs (36-14) are now tied with the Cougars (34-16) and Utah for first in Mountain West Conference action with an 8-4 record. SDSU will meet the Utes on Friday and again on Saturday.
The victory in the nightcap was the 400th for 12-year head coach Kathy Van Wyk. Also in the second game, senior pitcher Christina Ross (Santa Clarita, Calif.) broke two school records. Ross broke Sandra Durazo's (1998-2001) career strikeout record of 543 with a punchout in the third inning and broke Celena Velasquez' 2005 single-season record with her 212th strikeout in the seventh.
In the nightcap, SDSU scored all of its runs in the first two innings and followed Ross the rest of the way in a 4-0 triumph.
Sophomore Brittany Knudsen (San Diego, Calif./Escondido HS) led off the game with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Tamani Wells (Concord, Calif.). Junior Tonye McCorkle (Santa Ana Heights, Calif.) followed with a walk and advanced a bag, along with Knudsen, on a passed ball by the Brigham Young catcher. With runners on second and third, junior Erin Floros (Mt. Carmel HS) laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Knudsen with the team's first run of the game. Senior Megan McDonald (Glendale, Ariz.) made it 2-0 San Diego State when she laced a single to left field, plating McCorkle.
In the second, junior Dani Sidoti (Tucson, Ariz.) (single) and freshman Jen Wisneski (Riverside, Calif.) (walk) each reached base with one out and moved up a bag on Knudsen's sacrifice bunt. Sidoti and Wisneski ended up scoring when the Cougar shortstop committed a throwing error.
The runs would be plenty for Ross, who struck out 10 Cougars over a complete game shutout. She allowed just five hits, all singles, and two walks.
McDonald had two hits to pace the offense.
In the first game, Brigham Young homered three times en route to a 7-4 victory. Jessica Purcell (solo) and Amanda Vance (three-run homer) each hit home runs in the second, while Emi Willing connected on a solo shot in the fourth. Kristin Dellahoussaye and Daniela Snow each added sacrifice flies.
SDSU got its runs on a two-run double by sophomore Lindsey Marquez (Tustin, Calif.) in the fourth and a two-run single by freshman Samantha Beasley (San Diego, Calif./Steele Canyon HS) in the sixth.
Marquez had two doubles to lead the San Diego State offense, while Wells added two singles.
Ross took the loss for the Aztecs after surrendering a season-high five earned runs on eight hits over two innings. Freshmen Brooke Petty (San Diego, Calif./Vista HS) (3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, BB, K) and Beasley (1.0 IP) also pitched for SDSU.
San Diego State continues its nine-game road trip on Friday when it takes on Utah at 4 p.m. MT.