April 29, 2016
SAN DIEGO -
San Diego State rallied from a 3-1 deficit with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning in a 5-4 victory over Utah State Friday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs improved to 25-19 overall and 7-9 in Mountain West play with the win, while the Aggies dipped to 24-22 and 10-9.
After USU scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning, SDSU took back the lead in the bottom of the fifth when redshirt freshman Katie Byrd (Santee, Calif./West Hills HS) doubled and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Zaria Meshack (Vallejo, Calif.). Senior Samantha Camello (Temecula, Calif.) then ripped a single up the middle to score Byrd. After senior Leia Ruiz (Chino, Calif.) reached on a fielder's choice and junior Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.) singled up the middle, freshman Molly Sturdivant (Santa Ana, Calif.) drilled a 1-0 pitch over the right-field wall to give SDSU a 5-3 lead. It was Sturdivant's fifth home run of the year.
Utah State closed the gap in the sixth as Kirstyn Namba's two-out double plated Sarina Jaramillo.
The Aggies tried to extend the game in the seventh when Sarah Chow reached on a one-out single off sophomore Alex Formby (Orange, Calif.), who replaced junior starter Erica Romero (Corona, Calif.) in the beginning of the inning. Formby got Noelle Johnson to foul out to Ruiz and pinch-hitter Paxton Provost to strike out swinging to pick up her fourth save of the season.
San Diego State got on the scoreboard first in the third when Byrd lifted a solo home run over the center-field fence. It was her second homer of the year.
USU responded and took its only lead of the game in fifth with three runs, highlighted by a by a two-run home run by Kylie-Rose Dickson. Utah State later took advantage of an Aztec error that allowed leadoff speedster Jazmin Clarke to reach and steal second. Chow followed with a single up the middle to put the Aggies up, 3-1.
SDSU answered with the decisive four-run inning.
Byrd was 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, only falling a triple short of San Diego State's second cycle in program history. Sturdivant added two hits, three RBIs and a run for the Aztecs, who outhit USU, 10-8.
Romero (12-8) picked up the win for SDSU after allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and a walk over six innings, while striking out four. Formby got the save, yielding a hit and recording one strike out.
San Diego State looks to win its second straight series when the two teams meet again at 6 p.m. PT Saturday.
NOTES: The Aztecs improved to 11-4 in one-run games this season, winning each of the past six one-run contests ... SDSU improved to 15-1 when scoring at least five runs ... San Diego State improved to 17-7 this year when scoring first ... The Aztecs are now 17-2 on the season when leading after six innings ... SDSU improved to 11-4 when homering at least once in the game (14-15 when not) ... LF Katie Byrd's three hits tied a career high (third time this season) ... 3B Molly Sturdivant recorded her sixth multi-RBI game of the season (tied for most on team) and ninth multi-hit game this year ... SS Samantha Camello singled and now has reached base safely in 15 consecutive games, the longest streak on the team this season ... 2B Leia Ruiz doubled in the first inning and has reached base safely in 10 straight contests ... CF Zaria Meshack was thrown out stealing for just the third time in 22 chances over her career. Her 86.4 percent success rate ranks as the fifth best in school history ... RHP Alex Formby's four saves are tied for the fifth most in San Diego State single-season history.
San Diego State 5, Utah State 4
Utah State (24-22, 10-9 MW) 000 031 0 -- 4 8 0
San Diego State (25-19, 7-9 MW) 001 040 x -- 5 10 1
Romero, Formby (7) and Orlando; Johnson, Schroeder (5) and Namba
W - Romero, 12-8; L - Johnson, 9-11; SV - Formby, 4
HR: Utah State, Dickson (2); San Diego State, Byrd (2), Sturdivant (5)