Feb. 11, 2018
TEMPE, Ariz. -
UC Davis 3, San Diego State 2 (9 inn.)
The San Diego State softball team lost another close game, falling to UC Davis, 3-2, in nine innings on the final day of the Kajikawa Classic Sunday in Tempe, Ariz. The Aztecs dropped to 1-5 on the season with their third straight loss, while the Aggies improved to 3-2.
Out of SDSU's five losses this year, two have come in extra innings by a single run, while another was a two-run setback.
San Diego State outhit UCD, 7-4, but left 11 on base in the loss.
UC Davis jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on back-to-back ground-rule doubles by Aly Gomonet and Alyse Rojas. Rojas later scored on a throwing error by the Aztecs. The Aggies had only two hits the rest of the game, a single in the fourth and a single in the sixth.
SDSU tied it in the top of the fourth as Taylor Stewart drilled a two-out, two-run homer over the right-center field fence. Taylor Adams also scored on the play after earlier reaching on a Gomonet error.
After both teams failed to move a runner to third in the international tiebreaker in the eighth inning, San Diego State attempted to take its first lead in the ninth. Shelby Thompson was placed on second before moving to third on a sac bunt by Stewart. Anna Sherburne followed with a fielder's choice to UCD second baseman Alex Sotomayor, who was able to throw it home, where Riley Siegel tagged Thompson for the second out. Janina Jusay (single) and Katie Byrd (walk) helped load the bases, but Kiera Wright's fielder's choice grounder got Byrd at second to end the threat.
UC Davis put the game away in the bottom of the ninth as Maddie Rojas moved from second to third on a fielder's choice and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brooke Yanez.
The Aztecs had plenty of chances throughout the game, leaving a runner on third base in the third and the sixth innings, two runners in the seventh, a runner at second base in the eighth and the bases loaded in the ninth.
Starting for the first time of her career, Jusay had three hits to lead the SDSU offense. Byrd singled and had two walks, while Wright also singled and walked.
Alex Formby (0-3) was charged with the loss after allowing one unearned run on just one hit and a walk over 5 1/3 innings, while striking out three. Marissa Moreno started the game in the circle for San Diego State and gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits and a pair of walks over three innings, recording two strikeouts.
THE NOTE
RHP Alex Formby hasn't allowed an earned run over her last four appearances (16 2/3 innings). Over those 16 2/3 innings, she has allowed just five hits and two walks, while striking out 13.
THE NOTE II
The Aztecs started only three upperclassmen in the game (one senior and two juniors) and seven underclassmen (four sophomores and three freshmen).
UP NEXT
SDSU begins a busy week with a road game at UC Riverside at 1 p.m. PT Wednesday, before hosting the 28th annual Campbell/Cartier Classic from Thursday-Sunday with games against Kentucky (6 p.m. PT Thursday), North Dakota State (4:30 p.m. PT Friday), UIC (7 p.m. PT Friday) and Cal State Fullerton (11:30 a.m. PT Sunday).
UC Davis 3, San Diego State 2 (9 innings)
San Diego State (1-5) 000 200 000 -- 2 7 2
UC Davis (3-2) 200 000 001 -- 3 4 1
Moreno, Formby (4) and Sturdivant, Umi (4), Sturdivant (8); Yanez and Siegel
W - Yanez, 2-0; L - Formby, 0-3
HR: San Diego State, Stewart (1)