SAN DIEGO -- Taylor Adams hit a two-out single to score Alexa Schultz in the bottom of the 13th inning to lift San Diego State to a 3-2 victory over Boise State Friday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. The win evened the series between the Aztecs (28-12, 12-2 MW) and Broncos (28-9, 7-4 MW).
Schultz ripped a one-out single up the middle to get things going for SDSU in the 13th and then stole second when BS reliever Sara Johnson struck out pinch hitter Shaylan Whatman. After fouling off a 1-2 pitch, Adams blooped a two-out single into right-center field and Schultz beat the throw home for the game-winner.
San Diego State received a gem of a pitching game from Maggie Balint and Dee Hernandez. Balint pitched the first eight innings, holding Boise State hitless over the first 4 1/3 frames. The right-hander allowed two runs on four hits, a walk and a hit batter, while striking out 12. It was the 11th double-digit strikeout game of the season for Balint (in 21 starts), who now has 209 strikeouts on the season.
Hernandez (8-3), meanwhile, tossed five scoreless innings of relief, yielding three hits and a walk, while striking out three to pick up the win.
The Aztecs had plenty of chances in the game but couldn't quite put it away. SDSU left 12 on base, going 3-for-14 (.214) with runners in scoring position and 0-for-3 with the bases loaded.
San Diego State's first good chance came in the second when Danielle Romanello led off with a double and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by AJ Murphy. Bronco starter Taylor Caudill, however, got Schultz to ground out to second base and Makena Brocki to shortstop to get out of the inning.
The Aztecs took the lead in the third as Macey Keester drew a one-out, four-pitch walk and scored when Mac Barbara blasted a long double off the glove of a BS outfielder by the wall. Barbara moved to second on a Bella Espinoza groundout and scored on a Jillian Celis single up the middle.
In the fifth, Keester drew another one-out walk and got to second on a Barbara single. Pinch hitter Jessica Cordola fouled out to shortstop and Celis struck out swinging to keep the score at 2-0 in favor of SDSU.
Balint quickly got two outs in the sixth, but Eliyah Flores reached on an infield single and Kelsey Lalor homered for the third time of the series to tie the game at 2-2.
San Diego State got a pair of runners into scoring position in the bottom of the sixth but with two outs Caudill struck out Adams to keep the game tied.
Balint retired Boise State in order in the seventh and the Aztecs looked to walk it off in regulation when they loaded the bases on a Keester hit by pitch, Barbara intentional walk and an Espinoza bunt single. Johnson (7-2), who relieved Caudill after Keester was hit by a pitch, somehow got out of the jam by striking out Celis and Romanello swinging, and getting Murphy to ground out to second base.
The Broncos got a pair of runners on in the eighth but Balint struck out Lalor swinging with two outs.
BS got another two runners on in the ninth off Hernandez on a one-out single and a two-out hit by pitch. The left-hander struck out Serena Huchingson swinging to keep the game going.
Neither team threatened again until the 12th when Espinoza singled for SDSU with one out and stole second. Johnson, however, struck out Celis swinging and got Romanello to fly out to left-center field.
Boise State tried to use that momentum in the 13th as Autumn Bennett ripped a single off Hernandez's glove and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kelsey Hall. Eliyah Flores fouled out to Romanello behind the plate before Hernandez intentionally walked Lalor. Bella Rocco came through with her first hit of the game but Schultz in the left field threw out Bennett at the plate, setting up San Diego State's walk-off single in the bottom of the 13th.
Barbara (2-for-5, RBI, R, BB, 2B), Espinoza (2-for-5, SB) and Adams (2-for-6, RBI) had two hits apiece for the Aztecs, who outhit the Broncos, 10-7. Keester also scored and reached base safely three times in the game (2 BB, HBP), while Schultz singled, scored and stole a career-high three bases.
THE NOTE
The 13-inning game is SDSU's longest since a school-record long 17-inning contest against UNLV on March 31, 2019. It is tied for the fourth-longest game in the country this year and tied for the fifth longest in program history
THE NOTE II
San Diego State improved to 4-4 on the season in extra-inning games. The eight extra-inning contests are the most in a season by the Aztecs since playing 12 in 2018 (5-7).
STAT OF THE DAY
DP Mac Barbara extended her reached base streak to 34 consecutive games, which is the longest streak in the country this year (active streak and overall streak) and longest in Aztec recorded history (since 2006), passing All-American Hayley Miles (2012).
UP NEXT
SDSU looks to claim the series with BS at noon PT Saturday.
San Diego State 3, Boise State 2 (13 innings)
Boise State (28-9, 7-4 MW) 000 002 000 000 0 -- 2 7 0
San Diego State (28-12, 12-2 MW) 002 000 000 000 1 -- 3 10 0
Caudill, Johnson (7) and Huchingson, Bumcrot (13); Balint, Hernandez (9) and Romanello
W - Hernandez, 8-3; L - Johnson, 7-2
HR: Boise State, Lalor (10)
SDSU Knocks Off Boise State, 3-2, in 13 Innings
