May 4, 2014
SAN JOSE, Calif. -
The San Diego State softball team used a four-run fourth inning, highlighted by a three-run homer by senior Dominique Dinner (Monterey, Calif.), for a come-from-behind 5-3 win over San José State Sunday afternoon in San Jose, Calif. The Aztecs improved to 36-17 on the season and 13-8 in Mountain West play, while the Spartans dropped to 28-23 and 11-10.
Down, 3-0, after three innings, senior Patrice Jackson (Kansas City, Mo.) led off the fourth with a home run. It was her 16th of the season. Later in the inning, after freshman Jaylene Ignacio (Oceanside/El Camino HS) and junior Hayley Miles (Antelope, Calif.) each were walked in back-to-back plate appearances, Dinner ripped an 0-2 pitch over the left field fence for a three-run homer, the first of her career.
SJSU was the first team to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning when Devin Caldwell had a two-out double to score Erin Rodriguez. On the play, Nicole Schultz was thrown out at the plate when Ignacio in right field threw it to sophomore shortstop Monica Downey (San Diego/Madison HS), who threw it to Dinner at home. Dinner blocked the plate and tagged Schultz to get SDSU out of the inning.
San Diego State got runners on in the third as Downey had a one-out infield single and sophomore Leia Ruiz (Chino, Calif.) followed with a walk. Junior Kayla Jordan's (San Diego/Bonita Vista HS) long fly ball was caught by Casey Watt in left field, however, and a fielder's choice grounder by senior Katie Mathis (Grass Valley, Calif.) got Ruiz out at second base to end the threat.
San José State added two more runs in the third when a sac fly by Alyssa Martinez scored Jessica Garcia and a single by Sharon-Renae Estrada plated Jessie Meyer.
The Aztecs finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth on the home runs by Jackson and Dinner.
SDSU tacked on an insurance run in the fifth as Jacki Campa (La Verne, Calif.) scored from second on a single by Ignacio.
The Spartans tried to tie it in the seventh when Jessie Hufstetler singled and got all the way to third on a fielding error. San Diego State sophomore Danielle O'Toole (Upland, Calif.) got out of the jam by getting Martinez to pop up to Mathis at second and Estrada to strike out swinging to end the game.
Downey had two of the Aztecs' eight hits, while Ignacio (1-for-2, RBI, run) and Ruiz (triple) each reached twice with a hit and a walk. Dinner had the three-run homer and Jackson the solo one, while Miles walked and scored a run.
O'Toole (27-8) picked up the win after tossing four scoreless innings of relief. She allowed four hits and no walks, while striking out three. Freshman Erica Romero (Corona, Calif.) started the game for SDSU and gave up three runs (two earned) on eight hits and a walk over three innings. She had one strikeout.
San Diego State plays host to a three-game series with Boise State, beginning at 6 p.m. PT Thursday.
San Diego State 5, San José State 3
San Diego State (36-17 13-8 MW) 000 410 0 -- 5 8 2
San José State (28-23, 11-10 MW) 012 000 0 -- 3 12 0
Romero, O'Toole (4) and Dinner, Orlando (4); Linford, Fish (4), Linford (4), Lang (6) and Garcia
W - O'Toole, 27-8; L - Fish, 8-6
HR: San Diego State, Jackson (16), Dinner (1)