LOS ANGELES -- Cali Decker homered and had four RBIs, and three San Diego State pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout in a 7-0 victory over Liberty Friday night at the NCAA Los Angeles Regional at Easton Stadium. The third-seeded Aztecs (36-15) advanced to the winner's bracket of the double-elimination regional and will meet fourth-seeded Grand Canyon at 2 p.m. PT Saturday.
It was the third straight shutout for SDSU, which is outscoring its opponents, 22-0, over that stretch and 27-4 in the postseason. San Diego State is in the NCAA Regional winner's bracket in back-to-back years for the first time in program history.
The Aztecs got things going in the top of the third inning, scoring four runs with two outs. Mac Barbara first reached on a single and Jillian Celis followed with a walk. Decker then drilled a 1-0 pitch over the right-center field wall for her fifth home run of the season. Makena Brocki followed with a single and later scored on two errors by the Flames (38-21).
SDSU added to its lead in the fourth when a single by Celis knocked in Bella Espinoza.
In the fifth, Brocki led off with her fifth triple of the season and scored on a groundout by AJ Murphy.
San Diego State completed their scoring in the sixth when Decker's infield single plated Espinoza.
Decker finished with four RBIs and a run, while Espinoza and Brocki each had two hits and two runs apiece. Barbara and Celis also reached twice with a single and a walk.
The offense was plenty for the Aztec trio of Allie Light, Dee Dee Hernandez and Sarah Lehman. Light (13-6) got the start and tossed four scoreless innings with just one hit allowed and no walks, while striking out six. Hernandez gave up one hit in two scoreless innings of relief, while Sarah Lehman worked around two hits in the seventh, striking out one.
THE NOTE
SDSU won a game in the NCAA tournament for the eighth consecutive appearance (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2022 and 2023).
THE NOTE II
San Diego State improved to 19-14 in the NCAA tournament when playing as a neutral team.
STAT OF THE DAY
The Aztecs recorded their third consecutive shutout (all during the postseason) for the first time since a four-game stretch from March 6-12, 2010.
UP NEXT
SDSU meets Grand Canyon at 2 p.m. PT Saturday in the winner's bracket.
[3] San Diego State 7, [2] Liberty 0
San Diego State (36-15) 004 111 0 – 7 10 0
Liberty (38-21) 000 000 0 -- 0 4 4
Light, Hernandez (5), Lehman (7) and Decker; Bachman, Keeney (3), Estroff (5) and Hudson
W - Light, 13-6; L - Bachman, 10-9
HR: San Diego State, Decker (5)
2023 NCAA Division I Softball Championship
Regionals - Double-Elimination
Easton Stadium - Los Angeles, Calif.
All Games on ESPN Networks
Friday, May 19, 2023
Game 1: [4] Grand Canyon 3, [1] UCLA 2
Game 2: [3} San Diego State 7, [2] Liberty 0
Saturday, May 20, 2023
Game 3: 2 p.m. PT - [4] Grand Canyon vs. [3] San Diego State
Game 4: 4:30 p.m. PT - [1] UCLA vs. [2] Liberty (elimination game)
Game 5: 7 p.m. PT - Loser of Game 3 and Winner of Game 4 (elimination game)
Sunday, May 21, 2023
Game 6: 3 p.m. PT - Winner of Game 3 and Game 5
Game 7: 5:30 p.m. PT - *if necessary
SDSU Shuts Out Liberty, 7-0, at NCAA Regional
