May 2, 2015
LOGAN, Utah -
Sophomore Erica Romero (Corona, Calif.) picked up her school-record 32nd victory of the season and the San Diego State softball team run-ruled Utah State, 10-2, in five innings Saturday afternoon in Logan, Utah. The Aztecs improved to 34-18 overall with the win and 17-6 in the Mountain West, while the Aggies dropped to 16-35 and 8-12.
Romero, who came into the weekend with the most innings pitched and appearances in the nation, and tied for first in wins, allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits and a hit batter over five innings, while striking out three without issuing a walk. The right-hander is now 32-15 on the season with at least three games still to be played. Romero broke Danielle O'Toole's record of 31 wins, set just last year.
A day after banging out 13 hits, including five extra-base hits, in a 9-3 win over USU, SDSU picked up where it left off, recording nine hits today in just five innings with four going for extra bases.
Senior Kayla Jordan (San Diego/Bonita Vista HS) got things going for San Diego State with a leadoff double, her team-leading 18th of the season. After a popout, Jordan moved to third on a wild pitch and senior Lorena Bauer (San Diego/Steele Canyon HS) drew a four-pitch walk. Freshman Jenavee Peres (Garden Grove, Calif.) then drilled a long single off the right field wall to plate Jordan with the first run of the game. Freshman Taylor Stewart (Bellflower, Calif.) followed with a three-run homer over the left-center field wall, her second of the year.
Noelle Johnson responded for Utah State with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning.
The Aggies added another score in the second when a single by Amburlyn Orozco scored Emma Willenborg.
SDSU got those two runs back in the third when junior Leia Ruiz (Chino, Calif.) singled through the left side and Bauer followed with a homer well over the center field fence. It was her 18th home run of the season and 59th of her career.
In the fourth, senior Hayley Miles (Antelope, Calif.) (single) and junior Samantha Camello (Temecula, Calif.) (walk) each reached base with one out. Jordan singled home Miles and Ruiz drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases for Bauer, who took an 0-1 pitch up the middle for her third and fourth RBIs of the game. San Diego State, however, left two runners on base in the inning, taking a 9-2 lead into the bottom of the fourth.
The Aztecs got into run-rule territory in the fifth as junior Kayla Bufardeci (Castro Valley, Calif.) drew a walk and was replaced by freshman Zaria Meshack (Vallejo, Calif.). Meshack promptly stole second base on the first pitch to sophomore Frankie Orlando (Roseville, Calif.) and moved to third on Orlando's sacrifice bunt. Miles followed with a double off the center field wall to plate Meshack with SDSU's 10th run of the game.
USU appeared it would keep the game alive in the bottom half of the fifth when runners got to the corners with no outs on a Hailey Froton leadoff double and a single by Jolene Koons. Romero, however, struck out Johnson, and got Paige Mills to line into a double play to Bufardeci at third base, clinching the run-rule victory for San Diego State.
Bauer paced the Aztecs by going 2-for-2 with a homer, four RBIs, two runs and a walk. Jordan (two runs) and Miles (run, stolen base) each added two hits and an RBI. Bufardeci had two walks, and Peres (RBI), Ruiz and Stewart (three RBIs) each recorded a hit and a run.
SDSU looks for the series sweep over Utah State at noon MT Sunday.
San Diego State 10, Utah State 2 (5 innings)
San Diego State (34-18, 17-6 MW) 402 31 -- 10 9 1
Utah State (16-35, 8-12 MW) 110 00 -- 2 7 0
Romero and Orlando; Armendariz, Mills (4) and Hart
W - Romero, 32-15; L - Armendariz, 1-16
HR: San Diego State, Stewart (2), Bauer (18); Utah State, Johnson (5)