FRESNO, Calif. -- The San Diego State softball team scored four runs in the top of the 13th inning to beat Fresno State, 5-1, and salvage a split Friday afternoon at Margie Wright Diamond in Fresno, California. The Aztecs (16-13, 3-2 MW) lost the opener with the Bulldogs (20-9, 2-3 MW), 4-1.
In the nightcap, SDSU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Alyssa Garcia and AJ Murphy had back-to-back doubles.
It appeared San Diego State was going to complete the shutout when starting pitcher Allie Light got consecutive outs in the bottom of the seventh. Alyssa Ramirez, however, took a 3-1 pitch over the center field fence to tie the game at 1-1.
After leaving a runner on third in the top of the eighth, Light had to get out of a jam in the bottom half of the inning. Martinez led off with a double and advanced to third on a one-out groundout. Light walked both Sophia Medellin and Keahilele Mattson, but then got Lauren Almeida to ground into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
The Aztecs finally broke through in the top of the 13th as Lala Macario was hit by a pitch and Mac Barbara followed with a double down the left-field line. Cali Decker followed with a single to knock in Macario and give the Aztecs a 2-1 lead. Elianna Reyes pinch ran for Decker and stole second before Katie Goldberg's groundout did not move the baserunners. Makena Brocki walked to load the bases before Alyssa Garcia ripped a double to clear the bases and put SDSU up, 5-1. Garcia got to third on a wild pitch, but reliever Serayah Neiss got AJ Murphy to foul out and Ally Dueker to strike out swinging to end the game.
Marcario (3-for-4, R, HBP, SB) and Garcia (3-for-6, 3 RBIs, R) had three of SDSU's 12 hits in the game, while Barbara (2-for-6, R) and Brocki (2-for-5, R, BB) added three hits apiece.
Dee Dee Hernandez picked up the win after tossing five scoreless innings of relief, allowing two hits and a walk, while striking out two. The left-hander improved to 5-2 on the year. Light started and went eight innings, giving up just one run on four this and three walks, striking out three.
In the opener, Fresno State scored the first four runs of the game and held on to a 4-1 victory.
San Diego State's lone run came in top of the sixth when Goldberg's two-out single plated Julia Holcomb. Brocki followed with a double, but Neiss stuck out Angie Yellen looking to move on.
The Bulldogs had scored the first four runs of the game.
Brocki was the only Aztec to twice reach base safely with a single and a walk as SDSU had seven hits overall.
Cece Cellura took the loss, allowing four runs on six hits over 2 2/3 innings. Hernandez pitched 1 1/3 innings, giving up two hits and a walk. Former Bulldog Cassidy West pitched a scoreless two innings of relief, yielding three hits and now walks, while striking out one.
THE NOTE II
In the nightcap, San Diego State won its eighth straight extra-inning game.
STAT OF THE DAY
In the second game, the Aztec pitching staff held FS to an 6-for-45 effort from the plate (.133 avg.).
UP NEXT
The 13-inning game matched SDSU's longest since a school-record 17-inning affair vs. UNLV on March 31, 2019.
Game 1: Fresno State 4, San Diego State 1
San Diego State 000 001 0 -- 1 7 1
Fresno State 112 000 x -- 4 11 0
Cellura, Hernandez (3), West (5) and Decker; Gilmore, Neiss (6) and Bunker
W - Gilmore, 11-2; L - Cellura, 4-2
Game 2: San Diego State 5, Fresno State 1 (13 innings)
San Diego State (16-13, 3-2 MW) 010 000 000 000 4 -- 5 12 0
Fresno State (20-9, 2-3 MW) 000 000 100 000 0 -- 1 6 1
Light, Hernandez (9) and Garcia; Neiss, Gilmore (7) and Bunker
W - Hernandez, 5-2; L - Gilmore, 11-3
HR: Fresno State, Ramirez
SDSU Softball Splits at Fresno State
