Feb. 12, 2009
SAN DIEGO -
Freshman pitcher Bailey Micetich (Woodland, Calif.) struck out a career-high 13 batters and senior Tonye McCorkle (Santa Ana Heights, Calif.) hit a bases loaded triple in the top of the eighth inning to lift the San Diego State softball team to a 3-1 victory over Utah State Thursday night on the first day of the Campbell/Cartier Classic at SDSU Softball Stadium. The victory moved the Aztecs, who are tied for 24th in the latest USA Today/NFCA national poll, to 3-2 on the season, while the Aggies dropped to 2-4.
The game featured a pitching duel between SDSU's Micetich (2-1) and Utah State's Lindsey Benson (0-3). Micetich held the Aggies hitless through the first six innings of the game before Jeanine Hernandez beat out a single on a play where San Diego State sophomore shortstop Jen Wisneski's (Riverside, Calif.) diving stop and throw to first base were inches too late. Micetich allowed two more hits in the eighth, including a solo homer by Jasmine Harris, but did do enough to get her second victory of the season.
For the game, Micetich struck out 13 batters, tied for the third-most in school history, and walked two over eight innings. She fanned 12 different Aggies, including Harris on two occasions. Micetich struck out the side in the fifth inning and two batters each in the first, second, fourth and eighth. Nine of the strikeouts were swinging, while four were looking.
The Aztec offense, however, failed to get much going against Benson until the decisive eighth frame. In that inning, sophomore Traci Wolf (Lancaster, Calif.) led things off with a pinch-hit walk and moved to second on a perfect sacrifice bunt by Wisneski. Redshirt senior Taryin Casillas (San Diego, Calif./Grossmont HS) then drew a pinch-hit walk and was replaced at first by junior starting right fielder Katy Erickson (Tustin, Calif.). Following an intentional walk to senior All-American Erin Floros (San Diego, Calif./Mt. Carmel HS), her second consecutive intentional free pass and third walk of the game, McCorkle drove the first pitch she saw over the Utah State right fielder's head for her eighth career triple (fifth at SDSU) and eventual game-winning hit.
Benson gave up two hits and six walks over eight innings for the Aggies, while striking out four for the tough luck loss.
SDSU continues its play in the Campbell/Cartier at 7 p.m. Friday when it takes on No. 8/8 Stanford.