March 7, 2014
Game 1: SDSU 4, UMKC 2 html | pdf
Game 2: SDSU 10, Iowa State 1 (5 inn.) html | pdf
WICHITA, Kan. - San Diego State swept a pair of games at the Shocker Softball Classic Friday afternoon in Wichita, Kan. The Aztecs (14-7), who are receiving votes in both the USA Today/NFCA and ESPN.com/USA Softball polls, defeated Missouri-Kansas City, 4-2, in the opener and Iowa State, 10-1, in five innings in the nightcap.
In the first game, SDSU opened a 4-0 lead through seven innings and held off a late charge by the Kangaroos (5-11) in a 4-2 victory. San Diego State scored one run each in the third, fifth, sixth and seventh innings, but stranded a season-high 11 runners for the game.
The Aztecs got their first run in the top of the third when sophomore Monica Downey (San Diego/Madison HS) singled and later scored when senior Patrice Jackson (Kansas City, Mo.) reached via error.
In the fifth, junior Hayley Miles (Antelope, Calif.) singled home senior Stefani Polonia (Pico Rivera, Calif.), who had replaced freshman Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.) at first base after a Cable walk.
SDSU made it 3-0 in the sixth on a Jackson triple that scored Ruiz.
San Diego State scored for the final time in the seventh when a single up the middle by Leia Ruiz (Chino, Calif.) plated senior Katie Mathis (Grass Valley, Calif.).
UMKC made it interesting in the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs (both unearned), thanks to a pair of Aztec errors. Freshman Erica Romero (Corona, Calif.), however, entered the game and got Brooke Parker out on a swinging strikeout and induced Cinda Ramos to ground out to Cable at first base to end the game and record the first save of her career.
Dinner had two hits, a walk and stole a base to lead SDSU, which outhit Missouri-Kansas City, 7-5, in the game. Ruiz added two hits, while Miles reached base safely in all four plate appearances, going 1-for-1 with an RBI single, three walks and two stolen bases. Downey singled, scored a run and stole her fourth base of the year.
Freshman Andi Smith (Orangeville, Utah) improved to 2-1 after allowing two unearned runs on five hits and a walk over 6 1/3 innings, while striking out five. Romero shut the door with a strikeout in a perfect 2/3 innings.
In the nightcap, San Diego State spotted the Cyclones (14-5) one run, before rattling off 10 unanswered scores en route to the 10-1 run-rule win.
The Aztecs tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the third when Ruiz led off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on a throwing error by the ISU catcher. Cable (hit by pitch) and sophomore Kayla Bufardeci (Castro Valley, Calif.) (walk) both reached base safely, before Miles cleared them with her third home run of the season to give SDSU a 4-1 lead.
In the fourth, Dinner had an infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ruiz. One batter later, Mathis singled down the right field line to score Dinner. Cable followed with a double to left field to put San Diego State up, 6-1, after four innings.
The Aztecs sealed the run-rule victory with a four-run fifth inning, thanks to a two-run double by Dinner that scored Miles and junior Kayla Jordan (San Diego/Bonita Vista HS) and a two-run homer by Jackson.
SDSU, which outhit Iowa State, 9-3, in the contest, was led by Dinner's two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored. Dinner added a stolen base and is now a perfect 9-for-9 on the season.
Jordan also recorded two hits for San Diego State, while Miles had the three-run home run, two runs and a walk.
Jackson added the two-run homer. Of Jackson's 76 plate appearances this year, 33 (43.4 percent) have resulted in either a home run (9) or a walk (24). She owns a .566 on-base percentage.
Cable, who had an RBI double, was hit by a pitch for the ninth time this season, which already has broken a school single-season record (previous record was eight by Amber Grahlman in 2002). Cable has a .554 on-base mark this year.
All nine starters for the Aztecs reached base safely via hit or walk in the game.
Sophomore Danielle O'Toole (Upland, Calif.) improved to 11-3 on the year after allowing one unearned run over five innings. She struck out five, giving up three hits without issuing a walk.
SDSU returns to action Saturday with a 3:30 p.m. CT game vs. Northern Illinois.
Shocker Softball Classic
Wichita, Kan.
March 7, 2014
Game 1: San Diego State 4, UMKC 2
San Diego State 001 011 1 -- 4 7 3
UMKC (5-11) 000 000 2 -- 2 5 3
Smith, Romero (7) and Dinner; Flaws, Kelley (7) and Friloux
W - Smith, 2-1; L - Flaws, 1-2; SV - Romero, 1
Game 2: San Diego State 10, Iowa State 1 (5 innings)
Iowa State (14-5) 001 00 -- 1 3 2
San Diego State (14-7) 004 24 -- 10 9 1
Johnson, Roggentien (4), Imholz (5) and Hartman; O'Toole and Orlando
W - O'Toole, 11-3; L - Johnson, 14-5
HR: San Diego State, Miles (3), Jackson (9)