April 9, 2016
SAN DIEGO -
COLORADO STATE 3, SAN DIEGO STATE 1
San Diego State outhit Colorado State, 10-8, but left nine runners on base in a 3-1 loss in the series finale Saturday afternoon at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (22-18, 4-8 MW) dropped the series to the Rams (18-17, 4-5) by a 2-1 margin.
CSU left 10 on base for the game as the two teams combined to go 4-for-24 (.167) with runners on base and 2-for-16 (.125) with runners in scoring position.
SDSU got its run in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a little small ball. Senior Samantha Camello (Temecula, Calif.) led off with an infield single, stole second and moved to third on a groundout by classmate Leia Ruiz (Chino, Calif.). Sophomore Jenavee Peres (Garden Grove, Calif.) then scored Camello on a sacrifice fly to right field. Freshman Molly Sturdivant (Santa Ana, Calif.) doubled, and juniors Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Ashley Ercolano (Poway, Calif./Poway HS) followed with a walk and single, respectively, to load the bases. Colorado State pitcher Holly Reinke, however, was able to get redshirt freshman Katie Byrd (Santee, Calif./West Hills HS) to ground into a fielder's choice at second base to leave the runners stranded.
Kristina Akiona tied it in the second for the Rams with a one-out solo homer over the left-center field fence.
CSU took the lead in the third after Ercolano retired the first two batters of the inning. Amber Nelson kept the inning alive with a single up the middle and Jaylin Manzanares followed with another single up the middle. After Sierra Galbreath replaced Nelson at second base, Akiona doubled down the left-field line to score Galbreath with go-ahead run.
Colorado State tacked on an insurance run in the fourth when Savannah Clark led off with a home run over the left-field wall.
San Diego State's last chance to score came in the bottom of the seventh as Camello had a one-out single and, after a flyout, moved to second on a four-pitch walk to Peres. Reinke, however, got Sturdivant to ground back to her on a hard-hit ball to end the game and give the Rams the series.
Camello had three hits and a stolen base to lead the Aztec offense, while Cable was 2-for-2 with a walk. Peres also had a single, walk and RBI.
Ercolano (1-2) took the loss after allowing two runs on four hits and two walks over 2 2/3 innings. Freshman Julie McDonald (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad HS) pitched the middle 2 1/3 innings and surrendered one run on two hits and four walks, while striking out one. Sophomore Alex Formby (Orange, Calif.) tossed the final two scoreless innings, yielding two hits, striking out one.
The Aztecs will look to get back on the winning track this weekend with a road series at San Jose State. All three games - Friday, Saturday and Sunday - will start at noon PT.
Colorado State 3, San Diego State 1
Colorado State (18-17, 4-5 MW) 011 100 0 -- 3 8 0
San Diego State (22-18, 4-8 MW) 100 000 0 -- 1 10 0
Reinke and Manzaneres; Ercolano, McDonald (3), Formby (6) and Orlando
W - Reinke, 11-7; L - Ercolano, 1-2
HR: Colorado State, Akiona (4), Clark (4)