Feb. 11, 2011
LOS ANGELES -
Freshman Lorena Klopp (San Diego/Steele Canyon HS) hit a two-out, solo home run in the top of the seventh inning to give the San Diego State softball team a 3-2 victory over North Dakota State Friday at the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament in Los Angeles. The Aztecs (1-0), who are receiving votes in both the USA Today/NFCA and ESPN.com/USA Softball preseason polls, won their 11th consecutive season-opening game.
With the score knotted at 2-2, Klopp belted a 3-1 pitch over the center field wall for the eventual game-winning run. It was the fourth time in the past six seasons that an SDSU freshman has homered in her first collegiate game (Erin Floros - 2006, Brittany Knudsen - 2007, Kristin May - 2010).
Senior All-American pitcher Samantha Beasley (San Diego/Steele Canyon HS) tossed five no-hit innings before giving up an infield single to Bison (0-1) leadoff batter Nicole Rivera in the sixth. For the game, the right-hander allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits over seven innings. She struck out seven after walking two in the first inning.
After spotting NDSU a 1-0 lead in the first when Rivera scored from second on a fielding error, San Diego State tied it in the top of the third. Freshman Hayley Miles (Antelope, Calif.) led off with a single and moved to second later on a Klopp single. After sophomore Kamerin May (Corona, Calif.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, senior Jessica Camello (Temecula, Calif.) scored Miles on a fielder's choice to second that was too late to get May. North Dakota State starting pitcher Whitney Johnson, however, got senior Eva Sahatdjian (Fresno, Calif.) to pop out and junior Ashley Rose (Antioch, Calif.) to ground out to keep the game tied at 1-1.
The Aztecs took the lead in the sixth on a two-out, infield single by senior Jen Wisneski (Riverside, Calif.) that plated redshirt sophomore Roshana Lavery (San Diego/Mission Bay HS). Lavery was summoned to pinch run for Sahatdjian, who was hit by a pitch. She stole second and reached third on a throwing error by the Bison catcher.
After Rivera broke up Beasley's no-hit bid in the bottom of the sixth and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, Christina Borek singled up the middle to tie the game for NDSU.
North Dakota State hurler Johnson got behind in the seventh on a pair of 3-1 counts, but induced Miles to pop out and redshirt senior Lindsey Marquez (Tustin, Calif.) to ground out. Klopp then took Johnson's third straight 3-1 count over the wall to give SDSU the win.
Klopp had two of San Diego State's five hits, while Kamerin May, Miles and Wisneski each added singles.
The Aztecs resume their play in the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament Saturday with games against Utah State (9 a.m. PT) and Central Florida (2 p.m. PT).
Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament
Easton Stadium - Los Angeles, Calif.
Feb. 11, 2011
San Diego State 3, North Dakota State 2
San Diego State (1-0) 001 001 1 -- 3 5 1
North Dakota State (0-1) 100 001 0 -- 2 2 4
Beasley and Sahatdjian; Johnson and McCray
W - Beasley, 1-0. L - Johnson, 0-1.
HR: San Diego State, Klopp (1).