SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State kicks off Mountain West play with a home series against Utah State this weekend at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (13-11, 0-0 MW) are the defending Mountain West Tournament champion (first one held since 2006) and have won a league-record eight regular-season titles.
SDSU, which is receiving votes in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, welcome the Aggies (15-9, 0-0 MW) at 6 p.m. PT Friday, 4 p.m. PT Saturday and noon PT Sunday.
Out of San Diego State's 24 games so far this season, 17 have come against teams that made the 2023 NCAA tournament (San Diego State is 7-10 in those games), including three against Women's College World Series programs, and nine have been against nationally ranked squads (the Aztecs are 2-7).
Macey Keester leads SDSU with a .370 average, while Mac Barbara (.310) has continued to provide pop with six of San Diego State's eight home runs and 25 RBIs, slugging .638 with a .440 on-base mark. Barbara is the Mountain West preseason player of the year. UCF transfer Lala Macario is hitting .308, and leads the Aztecs in on-base percentage (.418), runs (19), walks (12) and stolen bases (11).
The SDSU pitching staff has continued to produce, combining for a 2.71 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 163 innings against just 26 walks. Freshman Cece Cellura has come on strong in her first season on The Mesa, posting a 3-1 record with a team-low 2.39 ERA in 52 2/3 innings, striking out 23 against four walks. Defending MW Pitcher of the Year and the preseason pitcher of the year Allie Light is 6-6 with a 2.47 ERA in 45 1/3 innings, striking out 34 with 14 walks. Dee Dee Hernandez (3-2, 1 SV, 2.46 ERA, 31.1 IP) and Cassidy West (1-2, 2 SV, 3.00 ERA, 21.0 IP) have also logged innings for San Diego State.
All three games this weekend will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network.
Aztecs Begin MW Play with Home Series vs. Utah State
