March 18, 2015
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State softball team was unable to cash in with runners on base in a 6-1 loss to No. 17/16 Arizona Wednesday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs dropped to 17-12 on the season with nine of their 12 losses coming against nationally ranked schools.
SDSU had plenty of chances in the game, but left eight runners on base, going 2-for-13 (.154) with runners on, 0-for-5 (.000) with runners in scoring position and 0-for-7 (.000) with two outs.
Katiyana Mauga did most of the damage for the Wildcats (25-7) from the cleanup spot, hitting a solo home run to lead off the top of the second inning and adding a two-run homer in the third. Kellie Fox added a two-run single in the third to put UA up, 5-0, heading into the bottom of the third inning.
Senior Kayla Jordan (San Diego/Bonita Vista HS) answered back in the bottom half of the third when she belted the first pitch she saw over the right field wall. It was the third home run of the season for Jordan and her second in as many games.
Arizona added an insurance run in the fifth when Chelsea Goodacre's grounder to second base scored Hallie Wilson. The Wildcats had loaded the bases with no outs, but San Diego State sophomore pitcher Erica Romero (Corona, Calif.) got Mauga to foul out to junior third baseman Kayla Bufardeci (Castro Valley, Calif.) and, after the RBI groundout, forced Trish Parks to pop up to Romero in the circle.
San Diego State's first good chance came in the bottom of the second inning when Bufardeci and sophomore Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.) led off with back-to-back singles and, after senior Jacki Campa (La Verne, Calif.) replaced Bufardeci as a pinch runner, junior Leia Ruiz (Chino, Calif.) advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Campa was called out at home, however, on a fielder's choice grounder by senior Hayley Miles (Antelope, Calif.) and junior Samantha Camello (Temecula, Calif.) lined out down the right field line to end the threat.
After Jordan's leadoff homer in the third, freshman Jenavee Peres (Garden Grove, Calif.) singled and senior Lorena Bauer (San Diego/Steele Canyon) drew a walk. After a line out and a strikeout, Peres and Bauer each moved up a base on a wild pitch. Cable walked on eight pitches, but UA pitcher Michelle Floyd got Ruiz to ground out to the shortstop on the first pitch she saw to end the inning.
The Aztecs later left a runner on base in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively.
Cable was 2-for-2 with a walk to pace the SDSU offense, while Jordan had the solo homer and reached on a walk. Bauer, who last night vs. UConn walked on all three of her plate appearances, walked twice more tonight and was hit by a pitch.
Romero (15-9) took the loss after allowing six runs on six hits and two walks over seven innings, while striking out two.
San Diego State opens Mountain West play with a three-game series vs. UNLV this weekend at SDSU Softball Stadium, beginning Friday at 6 p.m. PT.
No. 17/16 Arizona 6, San Diego State 1
Arizona (25-7) 014 010 0 -- 6 11 0
San Diego State (17-12) 001 000 0 -- 1 6 0
Floyd, Parks (7) and Goodacre; Romero and Peres
W - Floyd, 13-4; L - Romero, 15-9
HR: Arizona, Mauga 2 (11); San Diego State, Jordan (3)