March 29, 2016
Game 1: Nevada 10, SDSU 4 html | pdf | video replay
Game 2: SDSU 9, Nevada 1 (6 inn.) html | pdf | video replay
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State softball team run-ruled Nevada, 9-1, in six innings to salvage a split Tuesday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (20-13, 2-3 MW) fell in the opener to the Wolf Pack (23-6, 4-1 MW) by a 10-4 score.
In the nightcap, SDSU jumped on Nevada with three runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back in a 9-1 victory. San Diego State finished with 13 hits in the second game after recording just five in the opener.
The Aztecs scored three in the first, one in the fourth and three in the fifth before the Wolf Pack scored on an infield single with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth. Freshman Julie McDonald (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad HS), however, got out of the jam by getting Jennifer Purcell to ground into a double play.
With a 7-1 lead, senior Leia Ruiz (Chino, Calif.) led off the bottom of the sixth with her third hit of the game. One batter later, freshman Molly Sturdivant (Santa Ana, Calif.) drilled the first pitch she saw into the left field bleachers to clinch the run-rule, 9-1 win. Sturdivant's home run was her second of the season with both ending the game (also March 20 vs. UC Santa Barbara - walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh).
It was just the second time this season that Nevada was run-ruled.
Ruiz tallied three hits in the contest, while junior Jaylene Ignacio (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino HS) had two hits, including a triple, an RBI and two runs. Sturdivant added two hits, two RBIs and two runs, and junior Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.) recorded two hits with an RBI and a run scored.
Sophomore Alex Formby (Orange, Calif.) picked up the victory for SDSU after tossing 4 2/3 scoreless innings, scattering six hits and five walks, while striking out four. The right-hander improved to 8-5 on the year. McDonald relieved Formby with the bases loaded in the sixth and got out the aforementioned jam, finishing the game with one run given up on three hits and a walk over 1 1/3 innings. She struck one to pick up her first career save as the Aztec pitching staff stranded 13 Wolf Pack runners in the game.
In the opener, Aaliyah Gibson hit for the cycle and drove in six runs, and Megan Sweet added a pair of two-run homers as Nevada downed San Diego State, 10-4.
The Wolf Pack got on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning as Gipson's double to left-center field plated Jennifer Purcell.
Nevada opened up a six-run advantage with five more runs in the third as Sweet hit a two-run homer just over the left-field fence and Gipson later cleared the bases on a triple.
The Aztecs answered in the bottom of the third when sophomore Zaria Meshack (Vallejo, Calif.) hit a two-out single down the left-field line and senior Samantha Camello (Temecula, Calif.) followed with a homer over the right-field fence.
The Wolf Pack, however, got those two runs back in the fourth when Sweet homered over the left-field wall once again.
Nevada would end up loading the bases in the fifth with one out on back-to-back singles and a walk, but SDSU junior Ashley Ercolano (Poway, Calif/Poway HS) got Sweet to ground into a fielder's choice to her in the circle and Jasmine Jenkins to ground out to Camello at shortstop to end the threat.
San Diego State closed the gap in the bottom of the fifth when Ercolano was hit by a pitch and, after a flyout, Ignacio drilled the first pitch she saw well over the left-field fence for her fifth home run of the year.
After a scoreless sixth for both teams, Gipson completed the cycle with a two-run homer over the right-field wall for the final runs of the first game.
Camello had two hits to lead the Aztecs, who were outhit, 11-5, in the contest
Junior Erica Romero (Corona, Calif.) was saddled with the loss after allowing five runs on three hits and two walks over two innings, while striking out two. Ercolano scattered five runs on eight hits and three walks over four innings of relief, striking out one. McDonald struck out one and allowed one walk in the seventh inning.
SDSU will look to capture the series with Nevada on Wednesday, where first pitch is scheduled for noon PT.
Game 1: Nevada 10, San Diego State 4
Nevada 015 200 2 -- 10 11 2
San Diego State 002 020 0 -- 4 5 1
Bolinger and Nicholas; Romero, Ercolano (3), McDonald (7) and Orlando
W - Bolinger, 11-2; L - Romero, 9-6
HR: Nevada, Sweet 2 (8), Gipson (3); San Diego State, Camello (1), Ignacio (5)
Game 2: San Diego State 9, Nevada 1 (6 inn.)
Nevada (23-6, 4-1 MW) 000 001 -- 1 9 3
San Diego State (20-13, 2-3 MW) 300 132 -- 9 13 1
Isenberg, Redington (6) and Nicholas; Formby, McDonald (5) and Orlando
W - Formby, 8-5; L - Isenberg, 8-4; SV - McDonald, 1
HR: San Diego State, Sturdivant (2)