March 17, 2014
SAN DIEGO -
Freshman Andi Smith (Orangeville, Utah) and sophomore Danielle O'Toole (Upland, Calif.) combined on a six-hit shutout and junior Kaitlin Connors (San Diego/La Costa Canyon HS) and senior Patrice Jackson (Kansas City, Mo.) each homered in San Diego State 3-0 win over Harvard Monday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs have matched their best-ever start to a season at 21-8 (also 2006 and 2008).
SDSU, which is receiving votes in both the USA Today/NFCA and ESPN.com/USA Softball polls, has now won three consecutive games and 10 of its last 11 contests.
Smith (3-2) pitched the first five scoreless innings, allowing four hits and three walks, while striking out five. The right-hander stranded eight Crimson (8-7) baserunners en route to her first collegiate (combined) shutout.
O'Toole, meanwhile, entered with a runner on in the sixth and ended up surrendering two hits over two innings of scoreless relief. The left-hander struck out four without issuing a walk, stranding three to pick up her first save of the season. O'Toole now has a 1.27 ERA on the season with 16 wins, which is tied for the most in the country (through Sunday's games).
Altogether, the San Diego State pitching staff kept 11 HU runners on base, and held Harvard to a 3-for-17 (.176) effort with runners on base, an 0-for-11 (.000) mark with runners in scoring position and an 0-for-2 (.000) showing with the bases loaded.
Crimson pitcher Taylor Cabe, however, was also up to the task as she held the Aztecs to one hit through the first 4 1/3 innings and just four in the game. SDSU broke through in the bottom of the fifth when sophomore Kayla Bufardeci (Castro Valley, Calif.) had a one-out single before being replaced by sophomore Victoria Kobold (Concord, Calif.). Connors then took a 1-2 pitch the opposite way over the right field wall to give San Diego State the 2-0 lead. It was her third homer of the season.
One inning later, Jackson drilled a 2-2 pitch well over the center field fence for the final run of the game. Jackson connected on her 11th home run of the year and is now leading the Aztecs in runs (20), homers, RBIs (32) and slugging percentage (.882).
Senior Dominique Dinner (Monterey, Calif.) was 1-for-1 with a sacrifice bunt and her team-leading 14th stolen base of the season. Dinner is a perfect 14-for-14 on stolen bases attempts this year. Only two players in program history have had more stolen bases in a season without being caught (Lori Turken, 18-for-18 in 1982 and Janna Kovensky, 17-for-17 in 2004) than Dinner's 14.
Junior Kayla Jordan (San Diego/Bonita Vista HS), and freshmen Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Jaylene Ignacio (Oceanside/El Camino HS) also reached safely with a walk.
SDSU wraps up a seven-game homestand Monday with a 6 p.m. PT game vs. Monmouth.
San Diego Classic II
SDSU Softball Stadium - San Diego, Calif.
March 17, 2014
San Diego State 3, Harvard 0
Harvard (8-7) 000 000 0 -- 0 6 0
San Diego State (21-8) 000 021 x -- 3 4 2
Cabe and Appelbe; Smith, O'Toole (6) and Connors
W - Smith, 3-2; L - Cabe, 2-4; SV - O'Toole, 1
HR: San Diego State, Connors (3), Jackson (11)