SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State was shut out by UC Riverside, 6-0, Wednesday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs dropped to 12-13 with the loss, while the Highlanders won their seventh straight game to improve to 11-12.
SDSU outhit UCR, 5-4, but couldn't come up with the big play, going 0-for-10 with runners on base and 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. The San Diego State pitching staff also struggled to find the plate, walking seven and hitting a batter.
UC Riverside jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, scoring its first run with four straight one-out walks. Amanda Lynch then singled through the right side to score a pair of runners.
Alicia Garcia, who relieved MJ James after the fourth walk in the first, cruised with three hitless innings until the fifth. Emma Ramelot led off with a walk, moved to second on sacrifice bunt by Daniel Ortega and scored on a single up the middle by Brittney Garcia.
The Highlanders scored twice more in the seventh off a rusty Marissa Moreno. Moreno, pitching for the first time since Feb. 28 against Brigham Young (missed eight games in between), gave up two runs on one hit, two walks and a hit by pitch in the seventh. Sami Demyon first drew a bases loaded walk to score Ortega and Lynch's subsequent groundout plated Garcia for the final run of the game.
UCR pitcher Jacy Boles retired the Aztecs in order in the bottom of the seventh to finish with the complete game shutout.
SDSU had plenty of chances to score and had at least one baserunner in every inning but the seventh, but were unable to come up with the timely hit.
Maddi Ayers led the way with two hits, including a double, while Molly Sturdivant also doubled for San Diego State. Katie Byrd and Kiera Wright also singled for the Aztecs.
James (3-5) took the loss after allowing three runs on no hits and four walks over 1/3 innings. Garcia yielded one run on three hits and a walk over 5 2/3 innings, while striking out three, before Moreno pitched the aforementioned seventh.
NOTE I
Three of the Aztecs' five hits came with two outs. SDSU was 3-for-10 (.300) with two outs, but 2-for-16 (.125) with less than two outs.
STAT OF THE DAY
At 12-13, San Diego State is under .500 for the first time this season.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs kick off Mountain West play at home with a three-game series against New Mexico, beginning 6 p.m. PT Friday at SDSU Softball Stadium
UC Riverside 6, San Diego State 0
UC Riverside (11-12) 300 010 2 -- 6 4 2
San Diego State (12-13) 000 000 0 -- 0 5 1
Boles and Curtan; James, Garcia (1), Moreno (7) and Sturdivant
W - Boles, 7-2; L - James, 3-5
Softball Shut Out by UC Riverside, 6-0
