March 8, 2009
PALO ALTO, Calif. -
The San Diego State softball team downed Penn State, 1-0, Sunday in the final day of the Stanford Louisville Slugger Classic in Palo Alto, Calif. The victory moved the Aztecs to 12-11, while the Nittany Lions fell to 7-8.
Redshirt junior Monica Alnes (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) drove in freshman Felicia Reifschneider (San Diego, Calif./Morse HS) with the game-winning run in the fourth inning. Reifschneider led off the frame with a bunt single and moved to second on a sacrifice by senior Tonye McCorkle (Santa Ana Heights, Calif.). Alnes then took the first pitch she saw up the middle to score Reifschneider with the only run of the game.
The run was all that SDSU pitchers Bailey Micetich (Woodland, Calif.) and Samantha Beasley (San Diego, Calif./Steele Canyon HS) would need as the duo allowed just five baserunners all game.
Micetich (7-4) stretched her scoreless innings streak to 28 with five innings of four-hit ball. She struck out five without a walk before being replaced by Beasley after giving up a single to lead off the sixth.
After striking out the first batter she faced, Beasley ran into a bit of trouble with a walk and a wild pitch to put two runners in scoring position with just one out. Beasley then struck out Jackie Hill and made a reaction catch on a line drive by cleanup hitter Daniel Kinley to end the threat. Beasley struck out three Nittany Lions swinging in the seventh to pick up her second save of the season.
Reifschneider had two hits, including a double, to lead the San Diego State offense. Alnes added a walk to her RBI single, while junior Brittany Knudsen (San Diego, Calif./Escondido HS) and junior Katy Erickson (Tustin, Calif.) each singled.
The Aztecs will begin a season-long nine-game homestand Wednesday when they take on South Dakota State at 6 p.m.