March 25, 2016
LAS VEGAS -
The San Diego State softball team left a season-high 14 runners on base in a 4-2 loss at UNLV Friday night at Eller Media Stadium in Las Vegas. The Aztecs dropped to 19-11 overall and 1-1 in Mountain West play, while the Rebels improved to 17-14 and 1-1.
SDSU outhit UNLV, 11-7, but was just 4-for-15 (.267) with runners in scoring position.
Each teams had chances early with the Aztecs loading the bases in the top of the first inning on an infield single by senior Samantha Camello (Temecula, Calif.), a single to right field by junior Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and a walk drawn by junior Sam Vlot (Cowchilla, Calif.). Junior Frankie Orlando (Roseville, Calif.), however, grounded out to shortstop to end the threat.
In the top of the second, junior Jaylene Ignacio (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino HS) reached on a one-out walk and sophomore Zaria Meshack (Vallejo, Calif.) followed with a chopping single to third base. Camello ripped a hard-hit ball to right field where Francesca Foti was able to jump and catch it on her fingertips for the second out, before senior Leia Ruiz (Chino, Calif.) grounded out to shortstop, giving San Diego State five runners left on base through two innings.
UNLV got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second, getting Foti (double) and Kwyn Cooper (single, moved to second on sac bunt by Courtney Beavers) into scoring position with one out. Alyssa Batastini battled back from a 0-2 count to walk and load the bases for Jadelyn Yadao-Valdez. Yadal-Valdez was able to lift a single just over Camello at shortstop to score Foti. Garie Blando then grounded into a fielder's choice at second base to plate Cooper for the Rebels' second run of the game.
The Aztecs tried to get things going in the fourth as Orlando led off with a single up the middle, redshirt freshman Katie Byrd (Santee, Calif./West Hills HS) drew a walk and Ignacio singled to left field to load the bases with no outs. Nursing a sore leg, sophomore Jenavee Peres (Garden Grove, Calif.) came into the game to pinch hit for Meshack, but grounded into a fielder's choice, which got Orlando at the plate. Camello also grounded into a fielder's choice as Byrd was out at home on the play. Ruiz then popped to second base to leave the bases stranded for the second time of the game.
Cable tried to put SDSU in position in the fifth as she led off with a double off the left field fence, but she was caught at third on a fielder's choice grounder by freshman Molly Sturdivant (Santa Ana, Calif). After a foulout, Orlando was hit by a pitch with two outs. Byrd, however, flew out to right field to strand another two runners for San Diego State.
The Rebels added a run in the fifth as Janine Petmecky had a two-out single, stole second base and scored on a single up the middle by Alyssa Cordova.
The Aztecs finally got on the scoreboard in the sixth as Ignacio reached on an error and moved to third on an infield single by Meshack. Camello then ripped a single off the pitcher's glove to plate Ignacio. Cable followed and was hit by a pitch to load the bases once again for SDSU. Sturdivant, was a bit unlucky, though, as her hard-hit ball was caught by a diving Blando at shortstop and Blando recovered to get Meshack at third for the double play.
UNLV answered in the bottom half as Myranda Bueno (single) and pinch-hitter Chrissi Omalza (double) each reached with one out. Yadao-Valdez followed with a groundout to score Bueno with the final run for the Rebels.
Byrd hit a two-out single to keep San Diego State's hopes alive in the seventh and scored when Ignacio hit a double right-center field. Meshack followed with her third hit of the game to put runners on the corners for Camello, the Aztecs' leadoff hitter. Camello groundout to third to end the game in favor of the Rebels.
Meshack was 3-for-3, while Ignacio had two hits, including a double, an RBI, a run and a walk. Cable also had two hits with a double and was hit by a pitch, and Camello recorded two hits and an RBI.
Sophomore Alex Formby (Orange, Calif.), who got the win Thursday night in the series opener, took the loss tonight after allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks over six innings, striking out three.
Game three of the tied series is set for noon PT Saturday.
UNLV 4, San Diego State 2
San Diego State (19-11, 1-1 MW) 000 001 1 -- 2 11 0
UNLV (17-14, 1-1 MW) 020 011 x -- 4 7 1
Formby and Orlando; Batastini, Petmecky (4) and Stover
W - Petmecky, 2-3; L - Formby, 7-5