April 11, 2009
SAN DIEGO -
The San Diego State softball team used another strong pitching performance from freshman Bailey Micetich (Woodland, Calif.) and another multi-hit game by redshirt junior Monica Alnes (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) to shut out New Mexico, 6-0, Saturday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. It was the ninth consecutive victory for the Aztecs (27-13, 4-0 MWC), who are receiving votes in both the USA Today/NFCA poll and ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, and fourth straight shutout.
SDSU, which is outscoring its opponents, 34-3, over the win streak, has now won 16 of its last 18 games, 18 of its last 21 and 22 of its last 27 contests. San Diego State has also won 10 consecutive league games, dating back to the 2008 season.
Micetich (14-4) tossed a complete game four-hit shutout in the circle to pick up her 12th straight victory. She struck out nine and walked none, and did not allow a Lobo (10-27, 1-4 MWC) past first base. Micetich has now gone 25 innings without allowing a run.
Alnes led the Aztec offense with a 2-for-3 outing with an RBI double and a run scored. Freshman Ashley Rose (Antioch, Calif.) drove in two runs and was one of seven to single for SDSU, which improved to 22-0 when outhitting its opponent.
After being held hitless by New Mexico pitcher Analise Rubalcava through two frames, San Diego State broke through for a three-run, five-hit inning in the bottom of the third, highlighted by Rose's pinch-hit two-run single that scored Alnes and sophomore Jen Wisneski (Riverside, Calif.). Senior All-American Erin Floros (San Diego/Mt. Carmel HS) followed with an RBI single to left field to plate junior Brittany Knudsen (San Diego/Escondido HS) and give the Aztecs the early 3-0 lead.
In the fourth, redshirt senior Dani Sidoti (Tucson, Ariz.) beat out a one-out infield single and moved up a base on a costly throwing error by Rubalcava. Sophomore Traci Wolf (Lancaster, Calif.) replaced Sidoti on second and scored on the very next play when Alnes took the first pitch she saw down the left field line for her fourth double of the season.
SDSU tacked on two more scores in the fifth with two outs, this time off Lobo relief pitcher Kerry Hodgins. With freshman Felicia Reifschneider (San Diego/Morse HS) on second after a walk and a stolen base, redshirt senior Taryin Casillas (San Diego/Grossmont HS) came through with a single up the middle to easily score Reifschneider. Junior Stefanie Quichocho-Rosario (San Diego/Morse HS) replaced Casillas at first, promptly stole second and then scored on an RBI single to left field by senior Tonye McCorkle (Santa Ana Heights, Calif.). The hit stretched McCorkle's hitting streak to a season-long seven games.
San Diego State will wrap up its four-game homestand Sunday when it plays host to New Mexico at 1 p.m. at SDSU Softball Stadium.