March 10, 2018
Game 1: Michigan State 6, SDSU 5 html | PDF
Game 2: No. 21 Long Beach State 5, SDSU 0 (5 inn.) html | PDF
LONG BEACH, Calif. - The San Diego State softball team dropped a pair of games at the Louisville Slugger Invitational Saturday afternoon in Long Beach, Calif. The Aztecs (8-16) lost their opener to Michigan State, 6-5, before falling to No. 21/rv Long Beach State in a rain-shortened five-inning game.
In the opener, Ebonee Echols hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning off SDSU pitcher Alex Formby to give the Spartans (10-11) the 6-5 win.
Down, 4-1, after an inning, San Diego State rallied to take a 5-4 lead, scoring twice in the third, once in the fifth and once in the sixth. In the third, a Taylor Adams single and subsequent fielding error scored Katie Byrd and Aris Metcalfe. In the fifth, Janina Jusay scored on a MSU throwing error. In the sixth, Byrd drew a walk and scored on a Molly Sturdivant double.
Michigan State, however, tied it in the bottom of the sixth when Melanie Baccay's triple plated Kelsey Carrasco.
After the Aztecs went in order in the top of the seventh, Echols ended the game in the bottom of the seventh with a walk-off homer.
Adams and Sturdivant had two hits apiece to pace SDSU.
Formby (5-6) took the loss after allowing six runs on seven hits and three walks over 6 1/3 innings, striking out three.
In the second game, the host 49ers (19-6) scored three runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back in a 5-0 win over San Diego State.
Adams, Byrd and Zaria Meshack had the Aztecs' three hits, while Megan Smith drew a pair of walks.
Marissa Moreno was charged with the loss after surrendering five runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks over four innings, striking out one. Julie McDonald pitched the fifth inning and allowed one hit and a hit batter.
NOTE I
SDSU fell to 2-4 this season against top-25 programs with the 5-0 loss to No. 21 Long Beach State.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs wrap up their play in the Louisville Slugger Invitational with a game at Cal State Fullerton at 10 a.m. PT Sunday.
Game 1: Michigan State 6, San Diego State 5
San Diego State 102 011 0 -- 5 7 0
Michigan State (10-11) 400 001 1 -- 6 7 3
Formby and Sturdivant; Zalewski, Rainey (5), Gregory (6) and Besson
W - Gregory, 1-0; L - Formby, 5-6
HR: Michigan State, Echols (1)
Game 2: No. 21/rv Long Beach State 5, San Diego State 0 (5 innings)
San Diego State (8-16) 000 00 -- 0 3 1
Long Beach State (19-6) 301 10 -- 5 8 0
Moreno, McDonald (5) and Sturdivant; Meza and MacLeod
W - Meza, 11-1; L - Moreno, 2-8