May 10, 2008
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The No. 19/21 San Diego State softball team captured its fourth Mountain West Conference championship in seven seasons with a 6-0 victory over UNLV Saturday afternoon in Las Vegas, Nev. With the win, the Aztecs (43-15, 15-5 MWC) earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The NCAA selection show will air Sunday at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.
San Diego State got its first run in the fifth inning when sophomore Lindsey Marquez (Tustin, Calif.) drew a bases loaded walk. After a lineout and a groundout, senior Tamani Wells (Concord, Calif.) singled off the UNLV (25-40-1, 5-15 MWC) pitcher Heather Slettvet (4-16). Junior Erin Floros (San Diego, Calif./Mt. Carmel HS) and senior Megan McDonald (Glendale, Ariz.) each walked to load the bases for Marquez. The first two pitches to Marquez were balls and Slettvett was replaced by lefthander Traci Odegard. Odegard through a first-pitch strike and followed with ball. After a foul, Marquez took the low and outside 3-2 pitch to score Wells with the game-winning run.
The Aztecs gave senior pitcher Christina Ross (Santa Clarita, Calif.) some breathing room with five runs in the seventh, all with two outs. The first three came when junior Tonye McCorkle (Santa Ana Heights, Calif.) hit a pinch-hit single up the middle. Wells scored on the play and after a fielding error by the Rebel centerfielder, McDonald and freshman Samantha Beasley (San Diego, Calif./Steele Canyon HS) each raced around the basepaths for the team's third and fourth runs of the game. Junior Christine Kulick (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) and freshman Jen Wisneski (Riverside, Calif.) each followed with back-to-back doubles to wrap up San Diego State's five-run inning.
Wells was a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored to lead the Aztecs' hit barrage. McDonald reached base all four times with two singles and two walks, while Wisneski added two hits.
Ross (30-12) pitched well once again for SDSU, surrendering just two hits over seven innings, a day after allowing just one hit in a five-inning shutout. Ross, who earned her eighth MWC Pitcher of the Week award on Tuesday, struck out six without giving up a walk.
Sunday's selection show is open to the public beginning at 7 p.m. in the auditorium in the Aztec Athletic Center.