SAN DIEGO -- Marissa Moreno tossed a four-hit shutout and Danielle Romanello had a walk-off RBI to lead San Diego State to a 1-0 victory over San José State in the nightcap of a doubleheader Saturday at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (19-12, 4-7 MW) salvaged a split with the win after falling to the Spartans (5-17, 1-7 MW), 1-0, in the opener.
In the second game, Moreno (2-3) allowed just four hits and a walk over seven innings, while striking out two. It was her first shutout of the season and eighth of her career.
SJSU's best chance to score off Moreno came in the top of the fifth inning when Jessica Giacoma and Jillian Figeroa led off with singles and moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by Ellison Hazlett. Moreno, however, got Rayohna Sagapolu to ground out to third baseman Jeweliana Perez and struck out Jocylyn Vidal swinging to get out of the jam. Moreno then retired the final six batters she faced to give SDSU one last chance in the bottom of the seventh.
After recording only one hit - a Perez single in the third - through the first six innings, San Diego State finally got going in the seventh against Spartan pitcher Janessa Ullegue. Jenna Holcomb reached on an infield single, Jillian Celis followed with a single up the middle and Alexa Schultz loaded the bases with a sneaky bunt single. Danielle Romanello quickly worked to a 3-0 count but Ullegue responded with consecutive strikes to make it a full count. On the next pitch, Romanello hit a chopper to Giacoma at second base, who knocked it down and threw it to first with no chance to get Holcomb at the plate, ending the game in favor of the Aztecs.
For the game, Moreno held SJSU to an 0-for-5 (.000) outing with runners in scoring position and 1-for-8 (.125) with runners on base.
In the opener, San Diego State wasted a good outing from pitcher Maggie Balint in a 1-0 loss.
San José State got the lone run of the game in the top of the fifth inning when Grace Garvey drew a walk and was replaced by Jackie Rookaird. Rookaird moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Sagapolu and scored on a single by Vidal.
The Aztecs had plenty of chances in the game, but couldn't come up with the clutch hit, going 1-for-13 (.077) with runners on base, 1-for-7 (.143) with runners in scoring position and having three baserunners thrown out at third base.
In the bottom of the third, SDSU had a pair of runners in scoring position but Romanello fouled out to first baseman Janessa Lozano.
In the fifth, Nicole Siess led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Riley Thies. Spartan pitcher Caroline Bowman, however, got Shelby Thompson to pop up to Giacoma at second and struck out Holcomb looking.
San Diego State had one more chance in the seventh when Thies reached on a two-out fielding error and Thompson followed with a single. Sadie Langlet stepped in as a pinch hitter, but Bowman struck her out looking to end the game.
Balint (12-6) was the tough luck loser, allowing one run on three hits (all singles) and two walks over seven innings, while striking out five.
Holcomb had two of the Aztecs' six hits to pace the offense.
THE NOTE
SDSU has played three straight one-run games and is 7-5 in one-run games this season.
THE NOTE II
Over the last six games, the San Diego State pitching staff has allowed just five earned runs for a 0.87 ERA. RHP Maggie Balint and RHP Marissa Moreno have combined to go 5-1 with a 0.67 over that span.
STAT OF THE DAY
The nightcap of the doubleheader today lasted just 1 hour, 20 minutes, SDSU's shortest game since an 1:16 outing at San José State on March 18, 2018.
UP NEXT
The rubber game of the series is set for noon PT Sunday.
Game 1: San José State 1, San Diego State 0
San José State 000 010 0 -- 1 3 2
San Diego State 000 000 0 -- 0 6 3
Bowman and Garvey; Balint and Romanello
W - Bowman, 1-9; L - Balint, 12-6
Game 2: San Diego State 1, San José State 0
San José State (5-17, 1-7 MW) 000 000 0 -- 0 4 0
San Diego State (19-12, 4-7 MW) 000 000 1 -- 1 4 0
Ullegue and Hazlett; Moreno and Romanello
W - Moreno, 2-3; L - Ullegue, 4-7
Softball Splits Doubleheader with San José State
