Three San Diego State errors led to five runs in a 6-2 loss to Long Beach State Friday at the NCAA Tempe Regional. The Aztecs (32-20) will now play North Dakota State at 5:30 p.m. PT Saturday in an elimination game. SDSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead after redshirt senior Lindsey Marquez (Tustin, Calif.) homered in the top of the third inning and sophomore Kristin May (Corona, Calif.) doubled home senior Jen Wisneski (Riverside, Calif.) in the fourth. It was Marquez' fourth home run of her career and first since Feb. 14, 2008. The 49ers (38-16), however, responded with five runs in the fourth, all with two outs. Alisha Rosen started off the inning with a solo homer, while the other four were all unearned thanks to a pair of San Diego State errors. LBSU tacked on the final run of the game in the fifth on another Aztec error. Freshman Haley Miles (Antelope, Calif.) doubled and drew a walk to pace the SDSU offense, while sophomores Kamerin and Kristin May (Corona, Calif.) each doubled. Junior Bailey Micetich (Woodland, Calif.) took the loss after allowing five runs (one earned) on nine hits and a walk over 3 2/3 innings. Senior All-American Samantha Beasley (San Diego/Steele Canyon HS) gave up a hit and a walk, while striking out two over 2 1/3 innings of relief. NCAA Tempe Regional
Farrington Stadium - Tempe, Ariz.
Friday, May 20, 2011 Game 1: (2) Long Beach State 6, (3) San Diego State 2
San Diego State (32-20) 001 100 0 -- 2 5 3
(2) Long Beach State (38-16) 000 510 x -- 6 10 1
Micetich, Beasley (4) and Kr. May; Jones-Wesley, Petty (5) and Sandoval, Garcia (5)
W - Jones-Wesley, 23-6; L - Micetich, 19-12; SV: Petty, 5.
HR: San Diego State, Marquez (1); Long Beach State, Rosen (1) Game 2: No. 1/1 (1) Arizona State 10, North Dakota State 0 (5 innings) Saturday, May 21
Game 3: 3 p.m. PT - (2) Long Beach State at No. 1/1 (1) Arizona State
Game 4: 5:30 p.m. PT - (3) San Diego State vs. (4) North Dakota State
Game 5: 8 p.m. PT - Loser of Game 3 and Winner of Game 4 Sunday, May 22
Game 6: 2:30 p.m. PT - Winner of Game 3 and winner of Game 5
Game 7: 5 p.m. PT - If necessary
Postgame Quotes
Head Coach Kathy Van Wyk
On the defense letting the team down:
"We gave up five unearned runs and you aren't going to win many games when you do that. It's disappointing because defense is what has kept us in ballgames up until now. The kids are ready, we'll come back strong." On the win-or-go home situation:
"We can't look at it that way. We just have to go out and play it one pitch at a time. I thought we played a little nervous today. We need to settle down and go out there and play ball the way we know we can." On winning for the seniors:
"Hopefully (the seniors) will give everything they've got. (Tomorrow) very well could be the last game for (the seniors). We'll give the seniors a shot to lead the way." Junior pitcher Bailey Micetich
On the game:
"The first few innings started off well, but then the (fourth inning) things kind of fell apart a little bit. I was leaving pitches a little over the plate and our defense just (struggled)." On the defense playing well all season:
"Our defense has been solid this year. Five of those runs were unearned and that's so unlike our defense. Hopefully we can put this past us and go out there tomorrow." On the team's mindset for tomorrow:
"We have to forget about this game. We've got to win." On winning for the seniors:
"We want to win for them, we want to win it for us. We want everybody to go out with a bang." | 