SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State begins its home portion of the Mountain West schedule this weekend against UNLV at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (13-7, 1-2 MW) and Rebels (14-8, 3-0 MW) will play a doubleheader at 2 p.m. PT and 4:30 p.m. PT Saturday, and a single game at noon PT Sunday.
SDSU is coming off a tough series loss at Nevada last weekend, beating the Wolf Pack, 8-7, in the opener before falling in the final two games, 5-2, and 9-8.
Taylor Adams continues to lead San Diego State offensively with a .377 average (20-for-53) to go along with two home runs, 10 RBIs, 15 runs, a double, 12 walks, five stolen bases and a .492 on-base percentage. Jillian Celis is hitting .298 (17-for-57) with a homer, a team-high 14 RBIs, eight runs, six doubles and three stolen bases, while Danielle Romanello (.281, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R, 5 2B, 8 BB) and Shelby Thompson (.277, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 12 R, 2 2B, 2 SB) are also batting above .275 for the Aztecs. Alexa Schultz, meanwhile, paces SDSU in home runs (4) and slugging percentage (.519).
The San Diego State pitching staff has combined for a 3.48 ERA with six shutouts in its 13 wins. Maggie Balint (8-2, 2.74 ERA, 61.1 IP, 52 K, 23 BB, .215 opp. avg.) has four shutouts by herself, while Marissa Moreno (0-2, 2.86 ERA, 22.0 IP, 11 K, 16 BB), Karina Faasisila (2-2, 4.32 ERA 1 SV, 24.1 IP, 18 K, 9 BB) and Hannah Johnson (3-1, 4.93 ERA, 27.0 IP, 14 K, 2 BB) have also logged plenty of innings for the Aztecs.
UNLV swept a series with Boise State last weekend at home, taking a doubleheader, 2-1 and 6-5, on Saturday before posting a 4-0 shutout in the series finale on Sunday.
The Rebels are hitting .279 as a team and are led by Maddie Schmidt (.391, 5 RBI, 22 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 7 SB), Janyssa Martin (.375, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 9 R, 4 2B) and Denise Armendariz (.340, 9 RBI, 10 R, 9 2B, 9 BB). Jenny Bressler (7-4, 2 SV, 2.41 ERA, 61.0 IP, 76 K, 30 BB, .218 opp. avg.), Charlie Masterson (3-2, 3.35 ERA, 37.2 IP, 26 K, 6 BB) and Jenna Perez (2-0, 3.82 ERA, 22.0 IP, 26 K, 15 BB, .188 opp. avg.) have done the bulk of the pitching for UNLV, which has a 3.58 team ERA.
Against common opponents this season, SDSU is 4-3, while the Rebels are 1-3. San Diego State leads the all-time series with UNLV, 63-45, but has lost four consecutive games vs. the Rebels.
Following the series with UNLV, the Aztecs travel to Boise State on April 2-3.