March 29, 2013
SDSU 5, New Mexico html | pdf
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State softball team shut out New Mexico, 5-0, for its ninth consecutive victory Friday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs, who are receiving votes in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, improved to 21-12 overall and 2-0 in the Mountain West with the win, while the Lobos dropped to 16-22 and 0-2.
Like last night, where SDSU beat UNM, 4-1, all of its runs were unearned. San Diego State scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on a two-out, throwing error by New Mexico shortstop Jordyn Bledsoe. Sophomore Kaitlin Connors (San Diego/La Costa Canyon HS) then followed with a pinch-hit three-run homer over the left-center field wall.
Senior right-hander Rebecca Arbino (Clovis, Calif.), who struck out the side in the sixth after replacing freshman left-hander Danielle O'Toole (Upland, Calif.), then retired the Lobos in order to end the game. Arbino (12-7) ended up with four strikeouts in a perfect two innings of relief to get the win. O'Toole allowed six hits, while striking out five over five scoreless innings as the starter.
The Aztecs had two runners in scoring position with one out in the third and a runner on second with one out in the first and fourth, respectively, but were unable to get a run across the plate before the big sixth inning.
UNM, meanwhile, which left 10 on in the loss yesterday, loaded the bases with one out in the fifth on three straight singles. O'Toole, however, got Kaity Ingram to ground into a fielder's choice to SDSU freshman shortstop Monica Downey (San Diego/Madison HS), who got Sheryl Guillermo out at home, and Mariah Rimmer to ground out to Downey to end the threat. O'Toole and Arbino ended up stranding seven New Mexico runners in the game.
Junior Patrice Jackson (Kansas City, Mo.) continued her hot streak with two singles and a run scored, while senior Kamerin May (Corona, Calif.), junior Katie Mathis (Grass Valley, Calif.), redshirt freshman Victoria Kobold (Concord, Calif.) and freshman Leia Ruiz (Chino, Calif.) also had singles.
San Diego State and the Lobos wrap up their three-game series at 1 p.m. PT Saturday at SDSU Softball Stadium.
NOTES: The Aztecs have won 12 straight games over UNM and 17 of the past 18 meetings ... SDSU improved to 20-2 when outhitting its opponent, 14-1 when scoring at least five runs, 14-2 when recording at least one homer, 18-4 when scoring first and 21-5 when leading at any point in the game ... RF Patrice Jackson is now hitting .615 (16-for-26) over the last nine games ... PH Kaitlin Connors had the first pinch-hit homer of the season for San Diego State. Ironically, she had the last one as well on Feb. 10, 2012 vs. Utah ... LHP Danielle O'Toole has tossed 16 1/3 consecutive innings without allowing a run.
San Diego State 5, New Mexico 0
New Mexico (16-22, 0-2 MW) 000 000 0 -- 0 6 2
San Diego State (21-12, 2-0 MW) 000 005 x -- 5 7 1
DeBroeck and Tellez; O'Toole, Arbino (6) and Kr. May
W - Arbino, 12-7; L - DeBroeck, 4-6
HR: San Diego State, Connors (1)