March 24, 2016
LAS VEGAS -
The San Diego State softball opened Mountain West play with a 6-2 win over UNLV Thursday night at Eller Media Stadium in Las Vegas. It was the sixth straight win for the Aztecs, who improved to 19-10 on the season.
SDSU took advantage of six Rebel (16-14, 0-1 MW) errors and timely hitting in the win.
San Diego State struggled early against UNLV pitcher Kwyn Cooper. Cooper, who had a 2.27 ERA coming into the game, no-hit the Aztecs through 4 2/3 innings until redshirt freshman Katie Byrd (Santee, Calif./West Hills HS) singled to right-center field. Junior Jaylene Ignacio (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino HS) then drilled a 1-1 pitcher over the left field fence to put SDSU up, 2-1. It was Ignacio's fourth homer of the year.
The Rebels, who got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning on a RBI single by Jadelyn Yadao-Valdez, tied it in the fifth when Alyssa Cordova's groundout plated Jamie Depippo.
San Diego State took the lead for good in the sixth as freshman pinch-runner Aris Metcalfe (Compton, Calif.) scored on a throwing error by UNLV catcher Brooke Stover.
After sophomore pitcher Alex Formby (Orange, Calif.) retired the Rebels in order in the bottom of the sixth, two via strikeout, the Aztecs tacked on three more runs in the seventh. Ignacio first scored on a balk by Cooper, senior Leia Ruiz (Chino, Calif.) followed with a single to score sophomore Zaria Meshack (Vallejo, Calif.) and later scored on a perfect squeeze sacrifice bunt by freshman Molly Sturdivant (Santa Ana, Calif.).
Formby (7-4) got UNLV in order in the bottom of the seventh, ending the game with by striking out DePippo.
Ignacio and Ruiz each had a hit and walk for SDSU, which was outhit, 7-4, in the game. Ignacio also scored two of the team's six runs.
Formby picked up the win after tossing 2 2/3 innings of hitless and walkless ball. The only runner to reach on the right-hander was Francesca Foti on a San Diego State throwing error in the fifth. Formby struck out three.
Junior Erica Romero (Chino, Calif.) started the game for the Aztecs and scattered two runs on seven hits and a walk over 4 1/3 innings, while striking out two.
Cooper took the loss for the Rebels after yielding six runs (four earned) on four hits and three walks, striking out two.
Game No. 2 of the series starts at 6 p.m. PT Friday.
San Diego State 6, UNLV 2
San Diego State (19-10, 1-0 MW) 000 021 3 -- 6 4 1
UNLV (16-14, 0-1 MW) 010 010 0 -- 2 7 6
Romero, Formby (5) and Orlando; Cooper and Stover
W - Formby, 7-4; L - Cooper, 7-6
HR: San Diego State, Ignacio (4)