March 17, 2009
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State softball team split a pair of non-conference games Tuesday evening, falling to visiting Texas Tech, 5-3 in the first game, before rebounding with a 4-2 victory in the second contest at the SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs moved to 19-13 overall, while the Red Raiders went to 9-24 on the season following the two schools' eighth and ninth all-time meetings.
In the second half of the doubleheader, SDSU got on the board quickly with three runs in the first inning. Senior outfielder Tonye McCorkle (Santa Ana Heights, Calif.) drove in the first run on a bases loaded walk, before a two-out single to right-center field by senior Dani Sidoti (Tucson, Ariz.) scored Felicia Reifschneider (San Diego, Calif.) and Monica Alnes (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) from second and third for the 3-0 advantage.
Aztec starting pitcher Bailey Micetich (Woodland, Calif.) kept Texas Tech off the scoreboard for the first five innings, but found some trouble in the top of the sixth, surrendering two runs on four consecutive hits. Aztecs pitcher Samantha Beasley (San Diego, Calif.), who started the first game, came in to relieve Micetich, striking out the next two batters to preserve a one-run lead, 3-2.
SDSU would get an insurance run in the bottom of the inning, before Beasley retired the side in order in the seventh for her fourth save of the season.
Texas Tech won the first game of the evening, pounding out five runs on 14 hits. The Red Raiders took advantage of four Aztec defensive miscues, including two in the top of the seventh inning that led to the visitor's final run of the night in the 5-3 loss. Reifschneider went 3-for-4 at the plate, scoring a run, while designated player Taryin Casillas (La Mesa, Calif.) was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI. Beasley (9-9) got tagged with the loss, despite allowing just one unearned run.
San Diego State will be back in action on Friday, as the Aztecs play host to their final non-conference home game Friday evening at 6 p.m. against Cal State Fullerton.