SAN DIEGO -- In a battle between 5-0 teams, San Diego State softball plays at No. 1/1 UCLA Wednesday in Los Angeles. First pitch for the Aztecs and Bruins is set for 2 p.m. PT at Easton Stadium.
SDSU has matched its best start in program history (also 2005) and has already posted three shutouts in five games on the season. Last week San Diego State swept a doubleheader at San Diego (8-0 and 1-0) before sweeping a home series with UC Davis (10-4, 3-1 and 7-0).
The Aztecs are hitting .302 as a team and are led offensively so far by Taylor Adams (.500, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 6 R), Shelby Thompson (.462, 2 RBI, 3 R) and Danielle Romanello (.357, 2 RBI, 2 R, 3 2B). Alexa Schultz (.308) leads the team with two home runs and five RBIs, while Jessica Cordola (3-for-7, 2 RBI, R) and Sadie Langlet (2-for-5, 1 RBI) are batting .429 and .400, respectively, in limited at-bats.
The SDSU pitching staff, meanwhile, has combined for a 1.00 ERA with three shutouts, recording 30 strikeouts and limiting the opposition to a .230 average. Amazingly, San Diego State has only allowed a run in two of its 35 innings pitched this season. Karina Faasisila (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 10.0 IP, 9 K, 3 BB, .129 opp. avg.) is coming off being named the Mountain West Pitcher of the Week, while Maggie Balint (2-0, 0.50 ERA, 14.0 IP, 14 K, 4 BB, .231 opp. avg.) has two complete games in two starts. Hannah Johnson (1-0, 3.50 ERA, 5 K) has yet to allow a walk in eight innings across two starts, and Marissa Moreno (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 K, 1 BB) made her debut Sunday and pitched three innings in a 7-0 Aztec win over UC Davis.
UCLA, meanwhile, went 4-0 last week with doubleheader sweeps over Cal State Fullerton (6-2 and 10-4) on Saturday and Loyola Marymount (11-1 (5 inn.) and 6-1) on Sunday. Anna Vines (.500, HR, 3 RBI), Briana Perez (.444, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 8 R) and Bubba Nickles (.389, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 2 R) pace the Bruins, who are hitting .353 with six home runs as a team. Megan Faraimo (3-0, 0.78 ERA, 26 K, 3 BB, .119 opp. avg.) leads the UCLA pitching staff, which has combined for a 1.48 ERA in 33 innings.
SDSU 2-67 all-time against the Bruins (according to UCLA's media guide as San Diego State's records are incomplete for its first three seasons from 1977-79) and has not won a game in the series since a 2-1 victory on April 27, 1977.
Following the midweek clash with the Bruins, the Aztecs return home to play host to No. 5/6 Washington on Friday (doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. PT) and Saturday (1 p.m. PT).