SAN DIEGO -- Riding the momentum of a four-game winning streak, San Diego State plays host to San José State for a weekend series at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (18-11, 3-6 MW) and Spartans (4-16, 0-6 MW) will play a doubleheader at 2 p.m. PT Saturday and then a single game at noon PT Sunday.
It will be the first home games for SDSU since March 27-28.
San Diego State's four-game winning streak is its longest since winning the first five games of the season.
Last weekend, the Aztecs swept UC Santa Barbara on the road, run-ruling the Gauchos, 10-0, in six innings on Saturday and taking the nightcap, 6-2, before claiming the series finale Sunday in nine innings by a 5-4 score. Coupled with a 3-0 win at Boise State on April 3, SDSU has outscored its opponents, 24-6, over its winning streak.
Shelby Thompson leads San Diego State in multiple offensive categories, including batting average (.316), runs (21), hits (30), home runs (7), RBIs (20), total bases (54), slugging percentage (.568) and times hit by pitch (7). Jillian Celis is right behind Thompson with a .311 average to go along with two homers, 19 RBIs, 12 runs and a team-high eight doubles. Riley Thies (.297, 7 BB, .422 OB%, 8 SB), Taylor Adams (.288, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 16 R) and Alexa Schultz (.268, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 10 R, 4 2B, 11 BB, .561 SLG%) have also been big contributors.
The Aztec pitching staff has combined for a 3.05 ERA with eight shutouts in its 18 wins. Maggie Balint (12-5, 1 SV, 2.03 ERA, 106.2 IP, 94 K, 30 BB, .206 opp. avg.) has five shutouts by herself and has combined on another one. On Tuesday, the right-hander was named the MW Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 with a save and a 0.48 ERA in 14 2/3 innings last weekend, striking out 17 without allowing a walk. Balint limited UCSB to just 10 hits (all singles) and a .192 average against a team that came into the weekend with a .300 average.
Marissa Moreno (1-3, 3.85 ERA, 36.1 IP, 17 K, 20 BB), Karina Faasisila (2-2, 4.25 ERA, 28.0 IP, 19 K, 10 BB) and Hannah Johnson (3-1, 4.57 ERA, 30.2 IP, 17 K, 3 BB) have also logged plenty of innings for SDSU.
SJSU has lost six straight games entering the weekend and has six forfeits in that stretch as well, posting its last win on March 13 against Santa Clara (W, 10-3). Last weekend, San José State was swept in a home series with Boise State, including run-rule losses on Saturday (11-1 and 8-0) and a 4-1 setback on Sunday.
The Spartans are hitting .188 as a team, led by Alyssa Graham (.321) and Janessa Lozano (.300, 2 HR, 6 RBI). Jenessa Ullegue (4-6, 4.43 ERA, 49.0 IP, 19 K, 4 BB) and Caroline Bowman (0-9, 6.16 ERA, 55.2 IP, 30 K, 14 BB) pace a pitching staff that has posted a 5.98 ERA.
Against common opponents this year, San Diego State is 4-5, while SJSU is 2-7. The Aztecs lead the all-time series, 28-22, and have won each of the past two home series (2017 and 2019).
Following three games with San José State, SDSU travels to Utah State for a series from April 24-25.