Feb. 27, 2014
Game 1: SDSU 2, Brigham Young 0 html | pdf | video replay
Game 2: No. 2/2 Tennessee 3, SDSU 1 html | pdf | video replay
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State softball team split a pair of two-run games on the first day of the San Diego Classic I Thursday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (11-6), who are receiving votes in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, shut out Brigham Young, 2-0, in the opener before falling to No. 2/2 Tennessee, 3-1, in the nightcap.
In the opener, sophomore left-hander Danielle O'Toole (Upland, Calif.) tossed a five-hit shutout in SDSU's 2-0 victory over the Cougars (7-10). It was the second consecutive shutout thrown by O'Toole (10-3), who allowed just five hits (all singles) and a walk over seven innings, while striking out eight. O'Toole stranded eight BYU runners on base and held the visitors to a 0-for-9 (.000) mark with runners in scoring position and 2-for-15 (.133) with runners on base.
San Diego State got its first run in the top of the fourth inning when freshman Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.) had a one-out double and was replaced by senior Stefani Polonia (Pico Rivera, Calif.). After senior Patrice Jackson (Kansas City, Mo.) drew an intentional walk and senior Dominique Dinner (Monterey, Calif.) popped out to first base, freshman Frankie Orlando (Roseville, Calif.) lifted a single to center field to plate Polonia with the go-ahead run.
In the fifth, sophomore Monica Downey (San Diego/Madison HS) had a one-out infield single and, one batter later, stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Following a walk to senior Katie Mathis (Grass Valley, Calif.), Cable ripped the first pitch she saw to left field to score Downey with an insurance run.
Cable recorded three of the Aztecs' hits in the game, while Orlando had the RBI single and a walk. Dinner, Downey and sophomore Leia Ruiz (Chino, Calif.) each added singles.
In the nightcap, O'Toole pitched well again against one of the top hitting teams in the country, but SDSU was unable to outscore the Lady Vols (15-1) in a 3-1 loss.
O'Toole held UT, which came into the weekend with a .348 average and 15 home runs, hitless until the top of the third inning when Megan Geer hit a one-out single and Madison Shipman followed with a homer on a 3-0 pitch. It was the only two hits allowed by O'Toole until the sixth, when Tennessee pounded out four more hits. San Diego State, however, got two runners out on base and only gave up one run in the inning.
The Aztecs scored their lone run in the fifth inning and seemed on its way to a big inning. Ruiz led off with an infield single and moved all the way to third on a throwing error by Taylor Koenig, which also allowed Downey to get to first. Mathis followed with a single to center field to get SDSU on the scoreboard. With two runners on and no outs, however, San Diego State went in order on a strikeout swinging, a fielder's choice grounder and a popout to end the threat.
The Aztecs, who equaled the Lady Vols with six hits, finished 1-for-8 (.125) with runners in scoring position and 2-for-14 (.143) with runners on base.
Jordan had a pair of hits, including a double, to pace the SDSU offense, while Cable, Mathis, junior Hayley Miles (Antelope, Calif.) and Ruiz each added singles.
O'Toole took the loss after yielding three runs on six hits and a walk over seven innings, while striking out six. She had her scoreless streak snapped at 20 innings on the two-run homer in the third. O'Toole ended up throwing 225 pitches over the two games.
Weather permitting; San Diego State is scheduled to play Ole Miss at 7 p.m. PT Friday. All updates on the tournament schedule will updated on GoAztecs.com.
San Diego Classic I
San Diego, Calif.
February 27, 2014
Game 1: San Diego State 2, Brigham Young 0
San Diego State 000 110 0 -- 2 7 2
Brigham Young 000 000 0 -- 0 5 0
O'Toole and Orlando; Almond and Broderick
W - O'Toole, 10-2; L - Almond, 0-1
Game 2: No. 2/2 Tennessee 3, San Diego State 1
Tennessee (15-1) 002 001 0 -- 3 6 1
San Diego State (11-6) 000 010 0 -- 1 6 0
Renfroe and Aldrete, Akamine (5); O'Toole and Orlando
W - Renfroe, 9-0; L - O'Toole, 10-3
HR: Tennessee, Shipman (6)