April 4, 2009
LAS VEGAS -
Freshman Ashley Rose (Antioch, Calif.) drove in both runs, including the game-winner in the top of the seventh inning, and sophomore Samantha Beasley (San Diego/Steele Canyon HS) struck out 13 to lead the San Diego State softball team to a 2-1 victory over UNLV Saturday night in Las Vegas. The Aztecs, who have now won five straight games, 12 of their last 14, 14 of their last 17 and 18 of their last 23 contests, improved to 23-13 on the season and 1-0 in the Mountain West Conference.
Rose's game-winning single came after Camello singled to lead off the inning and moved to second on an infield single by junior Brittany Knudsen (San Diego/Escondido HS) one batter later. Rose then laced a 1-2 pitch through the middle and Camello hustled home for her team-leading fourth game-winning run of the season.
Earlier in the game, Rose tied the game at 1-1 when she singled home sophomore Jen Wisneski (Riverside, Calif.) from second base.
Senior Tonye McCorkle (Santa Ana Heights, Calif.) singled and tripled to join Rose with two hits apiece, while Knudsen reached base safely twice with a single and a walk.
Beasley was near perfect in the game, save a leadoff homer by UNLV's (23-10, 0-1 MWC) Marissa Nichols on the first pitch of the game. Beasley struck out 13, the second-most in her career, and walked none with one hit-batter over seven innings. She allowed five hits, three of them to Nichols, and got out of a major jam in the fifth.
In that fifth inning, Beasley hit Laura Briones after getting ahead 0-2 and allowed a Nichols single one batter later. Stefani Sanchez, who pinch ran for Briones, and Nichols each moved up a base following a pass ball to create two runners in scoring position with just one out. Beasley, however, buckled down and got Brittany Bolinger to fly out to right and then struck out Jaci Hull on a dramatic 12-pitch at-bat.
SDSU wraps up its weekend Sunday with another game against the Rebels, beginning at 1 p.m.