March 12, 2013
SAN DIEGO - Junior Katie Mathis (Grass Valley, Calif.) was 4-for-4 with three runs and two RBIs to lead the San Diego State softball team to a 10-7 victory over Iona Tuesday night at SDSU Softball Stadium.
The Aztecs (13-12), who set season highs in runs (10), hits (15) and RBIs (10), spotted the Gaels (4-11) three runs in the top of the first inning, then scored 10 straight before allowing four scores in the seventh.
Iona scored its first three runs on a bases loaded double by Beth Kann.
SDSU got on the scoreboard in the bottom half when Mathis hit a one-out single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Kamerin May (Corona, Calif.). Junior Lorena Bauer (San Diego/Steele Canyon HS) then singled up the middle for her team-leading 22nd RBI of the season.
San Diego State used four hits and a walk to score four times in the third. May singled in sophomore Kayla Jordan (San Diego/Bonita Vista HS) with the first run, junior Patrice Jackson (Kansas City, Mo.) hit a two-run single two batters later that plated Mathis and junior Stefani Polonia (Pico Rivera, Calif./Towson Univ.) and freshman Kayla Bufardeci (Castro Valley, Calif.) scored sophomore Jacki Campa (La Verne, Calif.) with a single.
SDSU added five insurance runs in the fifth. Freshman Monica Downey (San Diego/Madison HS) (single), Jordan (single), Mathis (two-run single) and May (double) all had RBIs in the inning to give San Diego State the 10-3 lead.
The Gaels used a pair of two-run homers in the seventh by Sarah Schutz and Christine Costello to get within three runs, but Bauer struck out Kann to end the game in favor of the Aztecs.
Mathis' four hits raised her batting average on the season to .310. She is one of six on the team with an average above .300.
Bufardeci, Jackson and Jordan all added two hits apiece for SDSU, while Downey also reached twice with a single and a walk.
Bauer (1-0), who tossed her first career complete game in a career-high seven innings, picked up her first victory since Feb. 12, 2011 vs. Utah State. The right-hander, who didn't pitch last season, also had a career-high six strikeouts, while allowing seven runs on nine hits and two walks.
SDSU continues its stretch of seven games in five days at 7 p.m. PT Wednesday vs. Miami.
San Diego State 10, Iona 7
Iona (4-11) 300 000 4 -- 7 9 1
San Diego State (13-12) 104 050 x -- 10 15 1
Costello, Courage (3), Argyle (6) and Jansson; Bauer and Kr. May
W - Bauer, 1-0; L - Costello, 0-4
HR: Iona, Costello, Schutz.