May 21, 2010
LOS ANGELES -
Junior Eva Sahatdjian (Fresno, Calif.) had a two-run homer and sophomore Ashley Rose (Antioch, Calif.) had an RBI single in a three-run sixth inning to give the San Diego State softball team a 3-2 victory over Fresno State Friday in the first game of the NCAA Los Angeles Regional. The Aztecs (34-14) will face No. 5 overall seed UCLA at 1 p.m. PT Saturday. SDSU won its opening game in an NCAA Regional for the first time since 2001.
San Diego State started the game out 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position until a string of baserunners led to three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Junior Jessica Camello (Temecula, Calif.) led off the inning with a double down the left field line, but stayed at second base after a pair of hard lineouts by senior Brittany Knudsen (San Diego/Escondido HS) and sophomore Justeen Maeva (San Diego/Mira Mesa HS/Cal State Bakersfield). Sahatdjian then took a 1-2 pitch well over the center field fence to put the Aztecs up, 2-0. It was Sahatdjian's fourth home run of the season as she improved to 10-for-29 (.345) with two outs. Sixteen of her 21 RBIs have come with two outs.
Redshirt senior Monica Alnes (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) kept the inning alive when she was hit by a pitch and freshman Patrice Jackson (Kansas City, Mo.) followed with a single. Rose singled through the left side to score Alnes with the eventual game-winning run.
The Bulldogs (39-20) answered in the seventh when Michelle Moses connected on a two-run homer with one out. SDSU junior pitcher Samantha Beasley (San Diego/Steele Canyon HS), however, got Courtney Moore to fly out to right field and Caitlin Stiglich to line out to shortstop, giving San Diego State its eighth career NCAA tournament victory (8-10).
Camello and Jackson had two hits apiece for the Aztecs, who improved to 31-1 this season when outhitting their opponent and 27-0 when leading after six innings. Knudsen and Maeva also singled for SDSU.
Beasley (29-9) battled through seven innings, scattering two runs on five hits, four walks and a hit batter. She struck out six, while stranding nine Fresno State runners, including at least one in five of the seven innings.
Moses (11-2) took the loss for the Bulldogs after allowing three runs on eight hits. She matched Beasley with six strikeouts.
NCAA Los Angeles Regional
Easton Stadium - Los Angeles, Calif. (UCLA)
Double-Elimination
Game 1: San Diego State 3, Fresno State 2
Fresno State (39-20) 000 000 2 -- 2 5 0
San Diego State (34-14) 000 003 x -- 3 8 1
Moses and Griffin; Beasley and Sahatdjian
Win: Beasley (29-9); Loss: Moses (11-2)
HR: Sahatdjian (SDSU) (4), Moses (FS) (18)
Game 2: No. 5 seed UCLA 11, Saint Mary's 4
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Game 3: San Diego State vs. No. 5 seed UCLA, 1 p.m. PT
Game 4: Fresno State vs. Saint Mary's, 3:30 p.m. PT
Game 5: Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 6 p.m. PT
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, Noon PT
Game 7: If necessary, 2:30 p.m. PT