SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State rode the arm of Maggie Balint and used some timely hitting early on to shut out No. 5/6 Washington, 4-0, for a doubleheader split in the nightcap Friday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. It was the highest-ranked opponent the Aztecs (6-2) have beaten since a 3-0 victory over No. 3/3 Texas A&M on March 15, 2008.
After falling, 6-1, in the opener, SDSU came out firing in all three phases of the game in the second for the 4-0 shutout over the Huskies (10-2).
Balint (3-1) tossed a one-hit shutout, only yielding a one-out double in the top of the first inning and two walks, while striking out four. The one hit came after Washington stroked 12 hits in the first game and entered the nightcap with a .383 average.
Sis Bates doubled down the left-field line in the first, but Balint struck out Sami Reynolds looking and Morganne Flores swinging to get out of the jam.
San Diego State then went to work in the bottom of the first, loading the bases with no outs on a single by Shelby Thompson, a hit by pitch to Danielle Romanello and an Alexa Schultz walk. Sadie Langlet followed with a single through the right side to plate Thompson with the first run of the game. After Huskie pitcher Kelley Lynch got Taylor Adams out via infield fly, Sara Lillie was hit by a pitch which scored Romanello. It appeared Lynch was going to get out of the inning when she struck out Jenna Holcomb looking, but Makena Brocki came through with a single through the right side to score Schultz. Jillian Celis battled in the next at-bat but struck out swinging on a 3-2 pitch as the Aztecs batted through the order.
In the second, Schultz hit a two-out, 1-0 pitch over the left-center field fence to make it a 4-0 game. It was her third home run in just her seventh game of the season.
UW threatened again in the third as Taryn Atlee reached on a SDSU fielding error and stole second with two outs. Bates ripped a hard-hit ball, but Thompson made a diving grab a second base to keep the shutout intact.
San Diego State looked to add to its lead in the sixth as Brocki reached on a one-out single and Jessica Cordola followed with a pinch-hit single. Thompson, however, grounded into a double play in a sharp fielding play by Atlee at second base and Bates at shortstop.
In the seventh, Flores drew an eight-pitch walk and was replaced at first by speedy Megan Vandegrift. Balint settled down and struck out SilentRain Espinoza swinging, got Lynch to foul out to Romanello behind the plate and Madison Huskey to fly out to shallow left-center to end the game.
Brocki was 2-for-3 with an RBI to pace the Aztecs, who outhit Washington, 7-1. Schultz homered, walked and scored two runs, and Adams added a single and walk.
In the opener, the Huskies broke open a 2-1 game with four runs in the top of the sixth in a 6-1 victory.
UW outhit SDSU, 12-3, scoring on an RBI singles by Flores in the first, Bates in the third, and Jadelyn Allchin in the sixth, a two-run single by Baylee Klingler in the sixth and a sacrifice fly by Bates in the sixth.
San Diego State got its run in the bottom of the first on a two-out double by Adams which scored Thompson from second base.
The Aztecs had other chances but couldn't quite figure out Washington pitcher Gabbie Plain.
In the second, Holcomb reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error by Plain (5-0). Brocki moved Holcomb to third on a sac bunt, but Plain struck out Celis and Thompson swinging to get out of the jam.
In the third, Schultz doubled with one out. Plain promptly struck out Langlet and Adams swinging to keep SDSU to one run.
Romanello walked with two outs in the fifth, but Plain retired the final seven batters she faced, finishing with 12 strikeouts in the game.
In all, San Diego State was 1-for-9 (.111) with runners on base and 1-for-6 (.167) with runners in scoring position.
Adams, Holcomb and Schultz each recorded a hit for the Aztecs, who were outhit, 12-3, in the game.
Hannah Johnson took the loss after allowing two runs on six hits over three innings. Karina Faasisila relieved Johnson (1-1) in the fourth, giving up three runs on three hits and a walk over 2 1/3 innings, striking out one, before giving way to Marissa Moreno. Moreno yielded one run on three hits and a walk over 1 2/3 innings, striking out one.
THE NOTE
As mentioned before, the Aztec win over No. 5/6 Washington was the highest-ranked victory by the program since a 3-0 victory over No. 5/5 Texas A&M on March 15, 2008. Earlier in the 2008 season SDSU defeated No. 3/2 Northwestern, 3-2, on Feb. 22. San Diego State defeated five nationally ranked teams in 2008 en route to a Mountain West title and its best season in program history (44-17).
THE NOTE II
The Huskies were shut out for the first time against an unranked team since May 6, 2017 vs. Stanford (L, 6-0).
STAT OF THE DAY
The Aztecs improved to 2-18 all-time against UW, winning for the first time in the series since a 9-5 victory in 12 innings on March 20, 2008.
UP NEXT
SDSU and Washington wrap up its series at 1 p.m. PT Saturday.
Game 1: No. 5/6 Washington 6, San Diego State 1
Washington 101 004 0 -- 6 12 1
San Diego State 100 000 0 -- 1 3 0
Plain and Flores; Johnson, Faasisila (4), Moreno (6) and Langlet
W - Plain, 5-0; L - Johnson, 1-1
Game 2: San Diego State 4, No. 5/6 Washington 0
Washington (10-2) 000 000 0 -- 0 1 0
San Diego State (6-2) 310 000 x -- 4 7 1
Lynch and Helm; Balint and Romanello
W - Balint, 3-1; L - Lynch, 3-2
HR: San Diego State, Schultz (3)
Softball Shuts Out No. 5/6 Washington, 4-0, in Nightcap
