March 21, 2010
SAN DIEGO -
Junior Samantha Beasley (San Diego/Steele Canyon HS) struck out a school-record 21 batters in the San Diego State softball team's 4-0, nine-inning loss to No. 22/20 Texas A&M Sunday afternoon at the San Diego Classic II. The loss snapped the Aztecs' (18-9) 10-game winning streak, while the Aggies (27-6) picked up their 11th consecutive victory.
Beasley's (13-6) 21 strikeouts broke Celena Velasquez and Cori Janelli's mark of 15, both set in the 2005 season. The 21 strikeouts also set a Mountain West Conference record and SDSU Softball Stadium record. Beasley struck out the side in the fifth, sixth and eighth inning, and two each in the first, second, third, fourth, seventh and ninth.
Beasley retired the first eight batters she faced until Lauren Schwirtlich reached on an infield single with two outs in the third. No Texas A&M runners reached safely again until the seventh, when Meagan May and Alex Reynolds drew a walk. Beasley ended the minor threat by getting Melissa Dumezich to strike out swinging, one her 19 swinging strikeouts in the game. After Kelsea Orsak singled in the eighth and Beasley struck out the next two Aggies, the game moved to an international tiebreaker situation after going over the two-hour mark.
Macie Morrow was placed at second in the ninth and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by pinch-hitter Sydney Shannon. May took the first pitch she saw into the left-center gap for a double and the first run of the game. After moving to third on a wild pitch, May scored when Rhi Kliesing doubled to center field. Alex Reynolds followed with a two-run homer before Beasley struck out the next two batters, ending the four-run ninth inning for Texas A&M.
On the day, Beasley allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks over nine innings.
On the other side of the circle, Aggie pitcher Rebecca Arbino was almost as effective. In nine innings, Arbino gave up five hits and a walk, while striking out four.
SDSU had its chances, leaving a runner on first and third with one out in the third inning and a runner on first and second with two outs in the eighth. San Diego State left seven runners on base for the game as it was shut out for just the fourth time this season and first time since Feb. 26 (14 games).
Senior Brittany Knudsen (San Diego/Escondido HS) was the biggest bright spot for the Aztec offense as she reached in three of her four plate appearances (two singles and a walk). Sophomore Justeen Maeva (San Diego/Mira Mesa HS/Cal State Bakersfield) doubled for SDSU, while classmate Felicia Reifschneider (San Diego/Morse HS) and junior Jessica Camello (Temecula, Calif.) each added singles.
San Diego State will wrap up the San Diego Classic II with a game against Oregon State at 6 p.m. Monday.
San Diego Classic II SDSU Softball Stadium March 21, 2010
No. 22/20 Texas A&M 4, San Diego State 0 (9 innings) Texas A&M (27-6) 000 000 004 -- 4 5 0 San Diego State (18-9) 000 000 000 -- 0 5 1 Arbino and M. May; Beasley and Sahatdjian Win: Arbino (15-3); Loss: Beasley (13-6) HR: Reynolds (TAMU) (2)