Feb. 25, 2018
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. -
San Diego State 3, Bethune-Cookman 2 (8 inn.)
Katie Byrd singled home Janina Jusay in the top of the eighth inning and pitcher Alex Formby got the San Diego State softball team out of a big jam in the bottom of the eighth in a 3-2 win over Bethune-Cookman Saturday night at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. The Aztecs (6-9) have won five of their last six games.
Tied at 2-2 and with Jusay placed at second with the international tiebreaker in effect, Byrd blooped a single down the right-field line to score Jusay and give SDSU its first lead of the game.
Bryanna Campos was placed at second for the Wildcats (5-10) and made it to third after San Diego State committed its fourth error of the game. Mariah Davis, who reached on the error, then stole second to make it two runners in scoring position with no outs for BCU. Formby (3-5), however, got Cheyenne Smith to pop out to third baseman Molly Sturdivant for the first out of the inning. After a brief discussion in the circle with head coach Kathy Van Wyk, the Aztecs elected to intentionally walk Ryan Jackson. Facing Bethune-Cookman cleanup hitter Kailey Richard, Formby got her to line to Byrd at second base, who was able to double up Jackson at first to end the game.
Earlier in the sixth, Formby got SDSU out of another jam when the Wildcats put a pair of runner in scoring position on an error and a single. Formby then got Brianna Sanders to ground out to Sturdivant at third and Iesha Waters to pop out to Byrd at second.
The game, which started 52 minutes late because of previous games by other teams, featured a combined eight errors (four each) and just seven hits (four by San Diego State, three by BCU). All five runs in the outing were unearned.
SDSU had the first scoring opportunity of the game in the top of the third when Aris Metcalfe led off with a walk, and moved to third on back-to-back groundouts by Alizae Umi and Byrd. Megan Smith, however, hit a sharp ball to Waters at first bases, who was able to tag Smith with the final out of the inning.
BCU took advantage of a San Diego State error in the bottom of the third to score the first run of the game. Sasha Killings replaced Yvonne Siordia after Siordia reached on a one-out error and executed a delayed steal to move into scoring position. She then scored when Davis singled to center field.
The Aztecs tied it in the fourth, thanks to two errors on one play by Bethune-Cookman. Taylor Stewart singled and was replaced at first base by Kiera Wright. Wright then reached twice an error by Campos at second base and quickly raced to third base. The shortstop Kayla Traylor's late throw, however, sailed past third, allowing Wright to score and tie it at 1-1.
The Wildcats scored again in the bottom of the fourth as Jackson reached on a throwing error, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, stole third and scored on a grounder by Sanders.
SDSU tied it in the fifth, thanks to the speedy Metcalfe. Metcalfe recorded her first career hit, stole second and third, and scored when the catcher's throw to third sailed into left field.
Metcalfe and Stewart each singled and walked to lead the San Diego State offense.
Formby got the win after tossing 4 2/3 scoreless innings with just two hits and an intentional walk allowed. She struck out four. Marissa Moreno started the game and gave up two unearned runs over 3 1/3 innings on one hit, while striking out four.
NOTE I
RHP Marissa Moreno started in the circle for the eighth straight game, the longest streak by an Aztec since 2015.
NOTE II
San Diego State improved to 1-3 on the season in extra-inning games and 1-3 in games decided by the international tiebreaker. The Aztecs played in just three extra-inning games all of 2017.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs wrap up their play in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with a 2 p.m. PT Sunday game against UC Davis.
San Diego State 3, Bethune-Cookman 2 (8 innings)
San Diego State (6-9) 000 110 01 -- 3 4 4
Bethune-Cookman (5-10) 001 100 00 -- 2 3 4
Moreno, Formby (4) and Umi; Bermudez and Richard
W - Formby, 3-5; L - Bermudez, 1-2