Softball Takes Series with 3-2 Win at Nevada

RENO, Nev. -- The San Diego State softball team claimed the weekend series with Nevada in a 3-2 victory Sunday afternoon in Reno, Nev.
 
A day after recording 14 hits in a 10-2, five-inning win on Saturday, the Aztecs (17-20, 5-7 MW) banged out 13 today in the victory. For the weekend series, SDSU hit .410 (34-for-83), while owning a .472 on-base percentage.  
 
San Diego State picked up where it left off yesterday, scoring three times in the bottom of the first inning with two outs. Taylor Adams first singled in Katie Byrd, and Kelsey Munoz later scored Molly Sturdivant and Adams with another single. The Aztecs had the bases loaded, but Nevada pitcher Kendall Fritz struck out Kristen Parker swinging to get out of the inning.
 
SDSU had another chance to score in the second, but left runners on second and third with one out after Sturdivant popped up to shortstop and Adams lined out to second base.
 
The Wolf Pack got two runs back in the bottom of the second inning on RBI singles by Haley Burda and Sierra Mello.
 
San Diego State threatened again in the fifth after a Munoz double had runners on second and third with one out. Fritz, however, got Aris Metcalfe to pop out to third base and pinch hitter Kylie Fraser to ground out to second to get out of the inning.
 
In the seventh, Adams got things going with a leadoff double. She then moved to third on a groundout by Maddi Ayers. After Munoz fouled out, pinch hitter Jessica Cordola hit a hard ball toward the right side of the field, but Nevada second baseman Sierra Mello made a diving stop and got the out at first base.
 
Alicia Garcia retired the Wolf Pack in order in the seventh to secure the win for the Aztecs.
 
Adams, Byrd and Thompson each had three hits apiece to pace SDSU, while Munoz had two hits and two RBIs. Metcalfe also reached twice with a single and a walk.
 
Garcia (7-6) picked up her second win of the series, tossing five scoreless innings of relief, allowing just two hits and two walks. For the weekend, Garcia was 2-0 with a 0.78 ERA in nine innings.
 
MJ James started the game and surrendered two runs on four hits, a walk and a hit batter over two innings, striking out one.
 
NOTE I
San Diego State won its 23rd straight game when leading after five innings (12-0 this year).
 
NOTE II
The Aztecs improved to 8-3 on the season in one-run games.
 
STAT OF THE DAY
SDSU has at least 10 hits in back-to-back games for the first time this season and first time since doing it three straight games from April 29-May 5, 2018.
 
UP NEXT
San Diego State returns home for a series with San Jose State, beginning Friday at 6 p.m. PT.
 
San Diego State 3, Nevada 2
San Diego State (17-20, 5-7 MW) 300 000 0 -- 3 13 1
Nevada (21-14, 6-3 MW)             020 000 0 -- 2 6 1
James, Garcia (3) and Sturdivant; Fritz and Burda
W - Garcia, 7-6; L - Fritz, 8-5