April 23, 2014
LAS VEGAS -
The San Diego State softball team dropped a 2-1 decision to UNLV Wednesday afternoon in the series finale in Las Vegas. The Aztecs fell to 32-14 overall and 9-6 in Mountain West play, while the Rebels improved to 21-25 and 11-7.
A day after the two teams combined for 38 runs, 58 hits and nine home runs in a doubleheader split, SDSU and UNLV compiled just three runs, 10 hits and one homer.
Garie Blando gave the Rebels the lead when she led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run.
San Diego State, which was held hitless through the first four innings of the game, finally broke through with a score in the sixth. Junior Kayla Jordan (San Diego/Bonita Vista HS) led off with an infield single, but was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice bunt by senior Katie Mathis (Grass Valley, Calif.). Senior Patrice Jackson (Kansas City, Mo.) followed with a single to center field and Mathis held up at second. Freshman Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.) then reached on another fielder's choice, which forced Jackson out at second and got Mathis to third. Freshman Jaylene Ignacio (Oceanside/El Camino HS) then laced a single up the middle to score Mathis with the tying run.
UNLV responded in the bottom half on a two-out rally, culminating with a double by Jamie DePippo that scored Emily Haslinger with the go-ahead run and eventual game-winning score.
Sophomore Monica Downey (San Diego/Madison HS) kept the Aztecs alive in the seventh as she reached on an infield single and got to third on back-to-back groundouts. Mathis appeared to tie the game back up, but Stefany Valentino made a running catch in the right-center field gap to end the game and give the Rebels the series.
Jackson and Miles each singled and drew a walk to pace the SDSU offense. San Diego State, however, left seven on base and finished the game just 2-for-12 (.167) with runners on base and 1-for-7 (.143) with runners in scoring position.
Sophomore Danielle O'Toole (Upland, Calif.) took the loss after allowing just two runs on five hits, a walk and two hit batters over six innings. She struck out three and dropped to 23-6 on the season.
On the home side, Amanda Oliveto improved to 11-13, yielding one run on five hits and three walks over seven innings, while striking out four.
The Aztecs play host to Colorado State in a key three-game series this weekend at SDSU Softball Stadium, beginning at 6 p.m. PT Friday.
UNLV 2, San Diego State 1
San Diego State (32-14, 9-6 MW) 000 001 0 -- 1 5 0
UNLV (21-25, 11-7 MW) 100 001 x -- 2 5 0
O'Toole and Dinner, Orlando (6); Oliveto and Haslinger
W - Oliveto, 11-13; L - O'Toole, 23-6
HR: UNLV, Blando.