March 6, 2014
WICHITA, Kan. -
A grand slam by sophomore Leia Ruiz (Chino, Calif.) highlighted a seven-run seventh inning in San Diego State's 11-5 win over Wichita State Thursday at the Shocker Softball Classic in Wichita, Kan. All seven runs came with two outs for the Aztecs, who improved to 12-7 with the victory.
With the game tied at 4-4 after six innings, SDSU quickly got two outs on a flyout and a groundout. Junior Hayley Miles (Antelope, Calif.) kept the inning alive with a walk, and junior Kaitlin Connors (San Diego/La Costa Canyon HS) (error) and senior Dominique Dinner (Monterey, Calif.) (walk) each reached to load the bases. Ruiz then belted a 1-2 pitch over the fence for the grand slam and first career home run.
Still with two outs, sophomore Monica Downey (San Diego/Madison HS) singled up the middle and senior Patrice Jackson (Kansas City, Mo.) took a 0-1 pitch over the wall to make it 10-4. It was Jackson's team-high eighth homer of the season.
Junior Kayla Jordan (San Diego/Bonita Vista HS) followed with a double to center field before freshman Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.) replaced her at second with a double of her own. San Diego State almost made it 12-4 when sophomore Kayla Bufardeci (Castro Valley, Calif.) singled to right field, but the Shockers' (8-7) right fielder Paige Luellen was able to throw Cable out at home to finally end the threat.
The Aztecs finished with seven runs on six hits, two walks and a WSU error in the decisive inning, all with two outs.
Wichita State got one run back in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly, but SDSU freshman Andi Smith (Orangeville, Utah) got Melanie Jaegers to fly out to Miles in center field to end the game in favor of San Diego State by an 11-5 score.
Cable had a two-out bases loaded double in the third for the Aztecs' first three runs, while SDSU added another in the fifth when freshman Frankie Orlando's (Roseville, Calif.) groundout plated senior Stefani Polonia (Pico Rivera, Calif.)
San Diego State had a season-high 12 hits, including three by Cable. Cable finished the game 3-for-5 with career highs of four RBIs and two doubles. Ruiz had her first career three-hit game, a career-high four RBIs and two runs, while Jackson reached all five plate appearances with four walks (one intentional) and the two-run homer to go along with two runs scored. Jordan doubled, walked and scored a pair of runs, and Bufardeci and Downey each added two singles.
Freshman Erica Romero (Corona, Calif.) started the game and allowed four runs on nine hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings, while striking out two. Smith (1-1) picked up her first career win after yielding one run on three hits over 2 1/3 innings of relief.
The Aztecs continue their play in the Shocker Softball Classic with two games on Friday, beginning with UMKC at 10:30 a.m. CT and then Iowa State at 3:30 p.m. CT.
Shocker Softball Classic
Wichita, Kan.
March 6, 2014
San Diego State 11, Wichita State 5
San Diego State (12-7) 003 010 7 -- 11 12 0
Wichita State (8-7) 010 120 1 -- 5 12 2
Romero, Smith (5) and Orlando; Malone, Anderson (6), Malone (7) and Jaegers
W - Smith, 1-1; L - Anderson, 4-6
HR: San Diego State, Ruiz (1), Jackson (8); Wichita State, Jaegers (1)