Feb. 13, 2014
SAN DIEGO -
SDSU 6, CS FULLERTON 1 | VIDEO REPLAY
Backed by a three-hitter by sophomore pitcher Danielle O'Toole (Upland, Calif.), the San Diego State softball team knocked off unbeaten Cal State Fullerton, 6-1, in the first game of the Campbell/Cartier Classic Thursday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs improved to 5-1, matching their best six-game start to a season since going 6-0 in 2005.
Both teams were receiving votes in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball poll coming into the game.
O'Toole allowed just one unearned run on three hits (all by Ariel Tsuchiyama) and no walks over seven innings. She struck out three to improve to 5-0 on the season with a 1.01 ERA over 27 2/3 innings.
The Titans (6-1), who defeated defending national champion and then No. 2/2 Oklahoma last weekend, got on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning when SDSU committed two errors, leading to Gabby Aragon scoring from third with two outs.
San Diego State responded with a four-run third inning and two more in the sixth for the 6-1 victory. Sophomore Monica Downey (San Diego/Madison HS) got things going with a one-out double and senior Katie Mathis (Grass Valley, Calif.) followed with a walk. Senior Dominique Dinner (Monterey, Calif.) then reached via single deep in the hole to CSF's Aragon at shortstop, who bobbled it, which allowed Downey to score from second. After a strikeout, junior Hayley Miles (Antelope, Calif.) laced a triple off the right-center field wall to plate two more runs. Freshman Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.) singled up the middle to score Miles with the final run of the frame.
After leaving one on in the fourth and fifth, the Aztecs tacked on two more insurance runs in the sixth on a pair of consecutive sacrifice flies by freshman Frankie Orlando (Roseville, Calif.) and Downey that scored senior Stefani Polonia (Pico Rivera, Calif.) and junior Kayla Jordan (San Diego/Bonita Vista HS), respectively.
Downey led the way for SDSU, which outhit Cal State Fullerton, 9-3, by going 2-for-2 with two doubles, an RBI and a run. Senior Patrice Jackson (Kansas City, Mo.) added two hits, including a double, while Miles had the two-run triple and scored a run. Dinner and Jordan each added singles and a run apiece.
San Diego State continues its play in the 24th annual Campbell/Cartier Classic Friday with a doubleheader vs. South Dakota (4:30 p.m. PT) and No. 23/25 California (7 p.m. PT).
24th Annual Campbell/Cartier Classic
San Diego, Calif.
February 13, 2014
Game 1: San Diego State 6, Cal State Fullerton 1
Cal State Fullerton (6-1) 010 000 0 -- 1 3 0
San Diego State (5-1) 004 002 x -- 6 9 2
Antunez, Ybarra (4), Wesley (6) and Tsuchiyama; O'Toole and Orlando
W - O'Toole, 5-0; L - Antunez, 2-1