April 18, 2014
SAN DIEGO -
The San Diego State softball team was shut out by Utah State, 1-0, Friday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs dropped to 30-12 on the season and 7-4 in Mountain West play, while the Aggies improved to 17-23 and 5-6.
SDSU managed only two hits as USU pitcher Noelle Johnson kept San Diego State off the bases for most of the game. Johnson (16-14) retired 14 of the first 15 Aztecs she faced (lone exception was a leadoff walk to senior Katie Mathis (Grass Valley, Calif.) in the bottom of the fourth inning) before freshman Jaylene Ignacio (Oceanside/El Camino HS) laced a two-out single through the left side in the fifth.
Johnson retired the next four batters until SDSU junior Kayla Jordan (San Diego/Bonita Vista HS) led off the seventh with a single through the left side. Senior Patrice Jackson (Kansas City, Mo.) was up next and ripped a ball deep into the hole, but it was hit so hard that Utah State shortstop Jolene Koons was able to field the ball toss it to second baseman Allison Lenzora, who beat Jackson with a throw to first baseman Paxton Provost to finish the double play. Johnson then got freshman Sydnee Cable (Huntington, Calif.) to ground out to Koons at shortstop and give the second game of the series to the Aggies.
Johnson allowed just two hits and a walk over the complete game seven-inning shutout. She struck out three.
San Diego State freshmen Andi Smith (Orangeville, Utah) and Erica Romero (Corona, Calif.) each pitched well in the loss. Smith (3-3) started the game and gave up one run on three hits and a walk over four innings. Romero pitched the final three scoreless innings, yielding two hits, while striking out two.
The rubber match of the weekend series starts at 11 a.m. PT Saturday.
NOTES: SDSU had its nine-game home winning streak snapped and are now 16-5 at home this season ... San Diego State was shut out for just the third time this year ... The Aztecs also dropped to 6-4 in one-run games, 10-8 when their opponent scores first and 12-11 when trailing at any point in the game ... 2B Katie Mathis had her career-long 10-game hitting streak snapped, but walked and has now reached base safely in 14 straight contests.
Utah State 1, San Diego State 0
Utah State (17-23, 5-6 MW) 000 100 0 -- 1 5 0
San Diego State (30-12, 7-4 MW) 000 000 0 -- 0 2 1
Johnson and Larsen; Smith, Romero (5) and Orlando
W - Johnson, 16-14; L - Smith, 3-3