Feb. 21, 2016
SAN DIEGO -
San Diego State downed San Diego, 2-1, for its fourth straight win in the final game of the 26th annual Campbell/Cartier Classic Sunday afternoon at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (7-3) finished 4-1 in the tournament, tied with No. 18/19 Kentucky for the best record (UK won the tiebreaker after beating SDSU, 5-1, on Thursday).
San Diego State improved to 54-4 all-time against the Toreros (4-6).
Tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, junior Frankie Orlando (Roseville, Calif.) reached on a fielder's choice and then got to second base on a throwing error on the same play by USD shortstop Danielle Mavridis. After redshirt freshman Katie Byrd (Santee, Calif./West Hills HS) replaced Orlando on second base, sophomore Taylor Stewart (Bellflower, Calif.) took a 2-1 pitch up the middle to score Byrd with the eventual game-winning run.
San Diego's Mary Grabowski led off the seventh with a single off Aztec freshman pitcher Julie McDonald (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad HS). Sophomore Alex Formby (Orange, Calif.) relieved McDonald and retired Taylor Spence (lineout), Sarah Stone (lineout) and Mavridis (popout) in order to record her first career save.
The Toreros had taken a 1-0 lead in the second as a groundout by Stone plated Lauren Kane.
SDSU responded in the third when a single to right-center field by senior Samantha Camello (Temecula, Calif.) scored sophomore Zaria Meshack (Vallejo, Calif.).
Meshack had two hits, two stolen bases and a run, while finishing the weekend with a .700 average (7-for-10) and five runs.
Stewart added two hits, while junior Jaylene Ignacio (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino HS) drew a pair of walks.
McDonald (1-0) picked up her first career win after tossing four innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits, while striking out one. Formby tossed the perfect seventh for her first career save, while junior Ashley Ercolano (Poway, Calif.) gave up one run on two hits over two innings as the starter.
San Diego State travels to Cathedral City, Calif., next weekend for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, beginning Thursday (Feb. 25) with Oklahoma State at 8:30 p.m. PST.
26th Annual Campbell/Cartier Classic
San Diego, Calif. - SDSU Softball Stadium
February 21, 2016
San Diego State 2, San Diego 1
San Diego (4-6) 010 000 0 -- 1 4 3
San Diego State (7-3) 001 001 x -- 2 5 0
Hernandez, Sabbatini and Grabowski; Ercolano, McDonald (3), Formby (7) and Orlando
W - McDonald, 1-0; L - Hernandez, 1-3; SV - Formby, 1
Other Saturday Scores
South Dakota 5, Texas Tech 3
No. 22/25 California 6, San Diego 3
Final Campbell/Cartier Classic Records
1. No. 18/19 Kentucky, 4-1 (UK wins tiebreaker over SDSU due to head-to-head tiebreaker)
2. San Diego State, 4-1
3. No. 22/25 California, 3-2
4. San Diego, 2-3
5. South Dakota, 1-4 (USD wins tiebreaker over Texas Tech due to head-to-head tiebreaker)
6. Texas Tech, 1-4