Feb. 16, 2017
Game 1: SDSU 3, UCR 0 html | PDF | Gallery 1 | Gallery 2
Game 2: No. 8/9 Washington 6, SDSU 5 html | PDF | Replay
SAN DIEGO - Julie McDonald (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad HS) tossed a three-hit shutout against UC Riverside to help San Diego State to a split at the 27th annual Campbell/Cartier Classic Thursday at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (3-4) first downed the Highlanders (1-5), 3-0, before falling to No. 8/9 Washington, 6-5, later in the night.
In the opener, McDonald (1-0) allowed just three singles and no walks over seven innings to record her first career shutout. The sophomore right-hander retired the first nine UCR batters she faced before yielding a leadoff single to Danielle Ortega in the top of the fourth inning. She then retired nine straight batters once again until Janae Lockwood's pinch-hit single to lead off the seventh. After a fielder's choice grounder, Haley Harris singled to put two runners on base with one out. McDonald finished the shutout after getting Hannah Rodriguez to line into a double play as SDSU shortstop Shelby Thompson (Benicia, Calif.) was able to make the diving grab and double up the runner on second to end the game.
San Diego State banged out 12 hits in the game, but stranded a season-high nine runners. The Aztecs scored their runs on an RBI single by Molly Sturdivant to plate Jenavee Peres in the bottom of the third, a sac fly by Jaylene Ignacio (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino HS) to score Katie Byrd (Santee, Calif./West Hills HS) in the fourth and a single by Byrd in the fifth to plate Megan Smith.
Sturdivant was a perfect 3-for-3 with a double to lead the SDSU offense, while Byrd was 2-for-2 with an RBI, run and hit by pitch. Peres also singled, walked and scored a run as nine different players recorded at least one hit.
In the late game, San Diego State was unable to hold onto a 5-3 lead as the Huskies (6-1) scored three times in the top of the seventh inning for the come-from-behind 6-5 victory. UW was coming off a weekend where it beat both No. 1/1 Oklahoma and No. 2/2 Auburn in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico.
Washington, which beat UC Riverside, 14-1, in five innings earlier in the night, broke up a scoreless game with three runs in the fourth, thanks to a two-run home run by Julie DePonte and an RBI groundout by Sis Bates.
The Aztecs got one back in the bottom half with a two-out rally that started with a Sturdivant single. Kristen Parker (Mira Mesa, Calif./Mira Mesa HS) replaced Sturdivant, moved to second on a Byrd single and scored on a single up the middle by Taylor Stewart.
SDSU came back again in the fifth when Ignacio and Kiera Wright had consecutive one-out singles and, after a strikeout, Peres drilled a 1-0 pitch well over the left-field fence to take a 4-3 lead. It was the first home run of the season for Peres and the 19th of her career, tying Kayla Jordan (2012-15) for the fourth most in program history.
After San Diego State pitcher Marissa Moreno retired the Huskies in order in the top of the sixth, Byrd led off the bottom of the sixth with a homer of her own to make it 5-3 Aztecs. It was Byrd's first of the year and third of her career.
UW, however, used four hits and took advantage of two SDSU errors to score three times (only one earned) in the top of the seventh to take a 6-5 lead.
Washington pitcher Taran Alvelo, who was named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday for her play in Mexico, retired San Diego State in order in the seventh to secure a fifth straight win and snap the Aztecs' 24-game winning streak when leading after five innings.
Byrd and Stewart had two hits apiece to pace the SDSU offense, while Peres had her first extra-base hit of the season with the three-run home run.
Making her first collegiate appearance in the circle after nursing a knee injury, Moreno (0-1) was the tough luck loser, allowing six runs (four earned) on nine hits. She struck out four.
Alvelo (3-0) gave up five runs on eight hits, but did strike out 11 in the win for the Huskies.
With the rest of the Campbell/Cartier Classic rained out, San Diego State will play host to Siena at 6 p.m. PT Tuesday.
Game 1: San Diego State 3, UC Riverside 0
UC Riverside (1-5) 000 000 0 -- 0 3 0
San Diego State 001 110 x -- 3 12 0
Marschall, Misfeldt (5) and Holley; McDonald and Peres
W - McDonald, 1-0; L - Marschall, 0-3
Game 2: No. 8/9 Washington 6, San Diego State 5
Washington (6-1) 000 300 3 -- 6 9 0
San Diego State (3-4) 000 131 0 -- 5 8 2
Alvelo and Flores; Moreno and Peres
W - Alvelo, 3-0; L - Moreno, 0-1
HR: Washington, DePonte, Flores; SDSU, Peres (1), Byrd (1)