LOS ANGELES -- The San Diego State softball team shut out Grand Canyon, 6-0, Saturday afternoon to advance to the NCAA Los Angeles Regional at Easton Stadium. It was the fourth consecutive shutout for the Aztecs (37-15), who advanced to a double-elimination regional final game without a loss for the first time since the NCAA moved to a four-team format in 2005.
SDSU received a dominant outing from pitchers Sarah Lehman, Dee Dee Hernandez and Allie Light. Lehman (11-4) got the start and allowed two walks without a hit over four innings, striking out six. Hernandez tossed two scoreless innings of relief, allowing two hits and no walks, while striking out four. Light pitched a perfect seventh inning with two strikeouts.
San Diego State has four consecutive shutouts for the first time since March 6-12, 2010, outscoring the opposition, 28-0. The Aztecs have gone 28 1/3 innings without giving up a run.
SDSU jumped on the Antelopes (47-12) with three runs in the bottom of the first inning and two in the second. Bella Espinoza led off with a bunt single, stole second and, after a four-pitch walk to Mac Barbara, scored on a Jillian Celis single up the middle. Cali Decker then grounded out to GCU second baseman Macee Barnes to score Barbara from third base. Makena Brocki followed with a bloop single to center field that scored Celis to make it 3-0 San Diego State after an inning.
In the third, Barbara's fielder's choice scored Ally Dueker when Dueker beat the throw home. Later in the inning, Decker singled to center field to knock in Espinoza for the Aztecs' fifth run of the game.
Brocki completed SDSU's scoring with a solo homer to lead off the fifth inning. It was her first of the season.
Espinoza had two hits, two runs, a walk and a stolen bases for San Diego State, while Brocki had two hits, two RBIs and a run. Barbara tripled, had two walks, an RBI and a run.
GCU's best chance to score came in the sixth when Kindsey Koeltzow broke up the Aztecs' no-hitter with a single and Barnes followed with an infield single. Hernandez, however, struck out Hannah Burnett looking, Kristin Fifield swinging and Katelyn Dunckel looking to get SDSU out of the jam.
Light then retired Grand Canyon in order in the seventh with a pair of strikeouts.
THE NOTE
San Diego State improved to 20-14 in the NCAA tournament when playing as a neutral team.
THE NOTE II
The Aztecs are 5-0 in the 2023 postseason (MW tournament and NCAA tournament), outscoring the opposition, 33-4.
STAT OF THE DAY
SDSU has consecutive shutouts in an NCAA tournament for the first time since its first two NCAA tourney games in program history in 2001 (May 17 vs. CSUN (W, 2-0) and May 18 vs. Wisconsin (W, 1-0)).
UP NEXT
San Diego State meets the winner of Game 5 (see below) at 3 p.m. PT Sunday. The Aztecs need one win to advance to their first NCAA Super Regional and have to lose twice to be eliminated.
[3] San Diego State 6, [4] Grand Canyon 0
Grand Canyon (47-12) 000 000 0 -- 0 2 1
San Diego State (37-15) 320 010 x -- 6 9 0
Hudson, Darwin (2), Hudson (4) and Koel; Lehman, Hernandez (5), Light (7) and Decker
W - Lehman, 11-4; L - Hudson, 11-3
HR: San Diego State, Brocki (1)
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: [3] San Diego State 6, [4] Grand Canyon 0
Game 4: 4:30 p.m. PT - [1] UCLA vs. [2] Liberty (elimination game)
Game 5: 7 p.m. PT - [4] Grand Canyon vs. Winner of Game 4 (elimination game)
Sunday, May 21, 2023
Game 6: 3 p.m. PT - [3] San Diego State (37-15) vs. winner of Game 5
Game 7: 5:30 p.m. PT - *if necessary
SDSU Advances to Regional Final with 6-0 Win
