March 23, 2014
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -
The San Diego State softball team saw its six-game winning streak snapped in an 8-6 loss to New Mexico Sunday afternoon in Albuquerque, N.M. The Aztecs (24-9, 2-1 MW), who are receiving votes in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, have still won 13 of their last 15 contests.
SDSU committed three errors, which led to six of the Lobos' (10-20, 1-2 MW) eight runs in the game. UNM's big inning came in the bottom of the second when it scored six times (five unearned runs) on four hits, two errors, two walks, a passed ball and a wild pitch.
Down, 6-1, after two innings, San Diego State battled back with a run in the third and four more in the fourth to tie the game up at 6-6. New Mexico, however, used a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth and a double stolen base in the sixth to pick up the 8-6 victory, its first in the three-game series.
Senior Patrice Jackson (Kansas City, Mo.) and junior Kaitlin Connors (San Diego/La Costa Canyon HS) each homered for the second straight game for the Aztecs. Connors led off with a solo home run in the second, her fifth of the season, while Jackson led off the fourth with her 13th homer of the year. Connors later added an RBI on a bases loaded walk and Jackson walked twice to reach 40 on the season in just 33 games.
Senior Dominique Dinner (Monterey, Calif.) tied the game up in the fourth with a two-run single and junior Kayla Jordan (San Diego/Bonita Vista HS) drove in SDSU's other run on a sacrifice fly earlier in the fourth.
Freshman Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.) walked three times and scored two runs for San Diego State, which was outhit, 9-5, by the Lobos, but walked nine times in the game. The Aztecs left 11 runners on base.
Sophomore Danielle O'Toole (Upland, Calif.) took the loss for SDSU after yielding four runs (one earned) on seven hits and a walk over 4 2/3 innings of relief. O'Toole (17-4) struck out four and had her win streak snapped at seven games. Freshman Andi Smith (Orangeville, Utah) started for San Diego State and surrendered four runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks over 1 1/3 innings, while striking out one.
The Aztecs welcome Cal State Northridge for a solo game at 7 p.m. PT Wednesday.
New Mexico 8, San Diego State 6
San Diego State (24-9, 2-1 MW) 011 400 0 -- 6 5 3
New Mexico (10-20, 1-2 MW) 060 101 x -- 8 9 1
Smith, O'Toole (2) and Connors, Orlando (4); Soles and Tellez
W - Soles, 3-3; L - O'Toole, 17-4
HR: San Diego State, Connors (5), Jackson (13); New Mexico, Tellez.