Feb. 7, 2013
TEMPE, Ariz. - Redshirt senior Rebecca Arbino (Clovis, Calif.) struck out a career-high 11 batters without surrendering an earned run to lead the San Diego State softball team to a 5-2 victory over Creighton Thursday at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.
Redshirt junior Patrice Jackson (Kansas City, Mo.) and junior Lorena Bauer (San Diego/Steele Canyon HS) sealed the game in the bottom of the fifth inning with back-to-back solo homers for the Aztecs (1-0), who improved to 12-1 over their last 13 season-opening games and 15-2 (.882) under 17th-year head coach Kathy Van Wyk.
Arbino's (1-0) 11 strikeouts were two more than her previous best of nine, which she accomplished four times over her career. The right-hander did not allow walk or an earned run over seven innings, but was the victim of four SDSU errors. She yielded nine hits for the game.
San Diego State jumped on the Bluejays (1-1) early with two runs in the second. In her first collegiate at-bat, freshman Kayla Bufardeci (Castro Valley, Calif.) came up with the bases loaded and singled through the right side to score Jackson. Later in the inning, senior Kristin May (Corona, Calif.) scored from third base on a wild pitch.
CU halved the score in the third when Kelsey Allender scored as Amy Baker reached on an Aztec error.
An RBI single by sophomore Kayla Jordan (San Diego/Bonita Vista HS) in the fourth scored freshman Monica Downey (San Diego/Madison HS) to put SDSU up, 3-1.
Creighton took advantage of another San Diego State error with two outs in the top of the fifth, which allowed Blair Lowe to score.
Jackson and Bauer led off the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back home runs to clinch the game for the Aztecs.
Jackson was 3-for-4 with two runs to pace the SDSU offense, which outhit the Bluejays, 10-9, while Bauer and Bufardeci each were 2-for-3.
San Diego State continues its play in the Kajikawa Classic tomorrow (Friday) with games against Northwestern (2 p.m. MT) and Stephen F. Austin (4:30 p.m. MT).
San Diego State 5, Creighton 2
Creighton (1-1) 001 010 0 -- 2 9 3
San Diego State (1-0) 020 120 x -- 5 10 4
Cantu, Snygg (2), Telecky (5) and Baker; Arbino and Kr. May, Tamayo (6)
W - Arbino, 1-0; L - Cantu, 0-1
HR: San Diego State, Jackson (1), Bauer (1).