April 30, 2016
SAN DIEGO -
UTAH STATE 3, SAN DIEGO STATE 0
San Diego State dropped a 3-0 decision to Utah State Saturday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (25-20, 7-10 MW) were held hitless through 4 1/3 innings and were outhit, 10-6, in the game by the Aggies (25-22, 11-9 MW).
USU got solo runs in the first, third and fourth to even the series at a game apiece.
Utah State got on the scoreboard first in the top of the first inning, taking advantage of a pair of SDSU errors. Jazmin Clarke led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on a throwing error. Noelle Johnson then grounded into a fielder's choice, but San Diego State was unable to get Clarke at the plate and charged with another throwing error.
In the third, Clarke got things once again for the Aggies with a one-out triple. Sarah Chow and Johnson each followed with infield singles, but the Aztecs were able to keep Clarke at third. In an 11-pitch at-bat, Alleyah Armendariz finally got Clarke home with a sacrifice fly to left field to put USU up, 2-0.
Paxton Provost made it 3-0 Utah State with a solo home run in the fourth just over the left-center field wall.
SDSU was no-hit through 4 1/3 innings by Armendariz before junior Frankie Orlando (Roseville, Calif.) singled through the left side. Junior Sam Vlot (Chowchilla, Calif.) followed with a single to center field. Freshman Aris Medcalfe (Compton, Calif.) replaced Orlando at second base, but was forced out at third on a fielder's choice grounder by redshirt freshman Katie Byrd (Santee, Calif./West Hills HS). Sophomore Zaria Meshack (Vallejo, Calif.), however, popped out to third to end the threat.
San Diego State got two more runners on in the sixth on singles by senior Samantha Camello (Temecula, Calif.) and junior Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.). With one out, Armendariz was able to get freshman Molly Sturdivant (Santa Ana, Calif.) to pop to the shortstop and junior Jaylene Ignacio (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino HS) to ground out to third to keep the Aztecs off the scoreboard.
SDSU mounted one last comeback in the seventh as Orlando led off with a double down the right-field line. Vlot lined a hard-hit ball that was snagged in a diving play by Provost at first base. Byrd also hit the ball hard, but right at Johnson in right field. Junior Ashley Ercolano (Poway, Calif./Poway HS) extended the inning with a pinch-hit infield single, before Camello's popout to shortstop ended the game.
Orlando had two hits to lead San Diego State, while Cable (single, walk) and Vlot (single, hit by pitch) also each reached base safely twice.
Sophomore Alex Formby (Orange, Calif.) took the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings, while striking out three. Freshman Julie McDonald (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad HS) pitched the final 1 2/3 scoreless innings, yielding one hit with a strikeout.
Armendariz finished the shutout for the Aggies with six hits and a walk allowed, and four strikeouts.
The rubber game of the series is set for noon PT Sunday.
NOTES: The Aztecs were shut out for just the second time this season (also vs. No. 8 Washington on March 12) … C Frankie Orlando picked up her fifth multi-hit game of the year … SS Samantha Camello singled and now has reached base safely in 16 consecutive games, the longest streak on the team this season … PH Ashley Ercolano had SDSU's first pinch hit of the MW campaign (San Diego State was 0-for-5 in pinch-hit opportunities in MW play heading into tonight) … 2B Leia Ruiz went 0-for-3, snapping a 10-game streak of reaching base safely … Ruiz finished with five fielding assists and now has 323 for her career, which is tied for the seventh most in program history.
Utah State 3, San Diego State 0
Utah State (25-22, 11-9 MW) 101 100 0 -- 3 10 0
San Diego State (25-20, 7-10 MW) 000 000 0 -- 0 6 2
Formby, McDonald (6) and Orlando; Armendariz and Lewis
W - Armendariz, 3-5; L - Formby, 9-9
HR: Utah State, Provost (4)