SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State lost the series opener against Nevada, 7-3, Friday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (26-15, 13-4 MW) now lead the Wolf Pack (37-13, 13-7 MW) by 1 ½ games in the Mountain West standings.
SDSU closed a 3-0 Nevada lead with two runs in the bottom of the third. Mac Barbara led off the inning with a double and Cali Decker followed with a triple. Alyssa Garcia then singled to bring San Diego State within a run. Elianna Reyes pinch ran for Garcia at first, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Katie Goldberg and advanced to third on a Makena Brocki groundout. Nevada pitcher Blake Craft, however, got AJ Murphy to ground out to end the inning and strand Reyes at third base.
The Wolf Pack then scored two runs in the top of the fourth on a passed ball and a double steal, and added two more in the sixth on double by Bridgette Gilliano and a sacrifice fly by Taryn Jenkins.
Trailing, 7-2, the Aztecs got a run back in the bottom of the sixth on a solo home run by Angie Yellen. It was the first homer of the season for Yellen and the fourth of her career.
Allie Light retired the Wolf Pack in order in the top of the seventh, but SDSU could only get a two-out walk by Decker in the seventh off Clary (14-4) as a Garcia groundout ended the game.
Nevada jumped on top early with a run in the second on three hits and a San Diego State error, and then scored two more in the third on a Haley Painter home run and an Aaliyah Jenkins double.
Barbara had two hits to pace the Aztec offense, which was outhit, 9-6, in the game. Decker tripled, walked and was hit by a pitch.
Cece Cellura took the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits and a hit batter over 3 2/3 innings, while striking out two. Light pitched the final 3 1/3 innings, yielding three runs (two earned) on two hits, two walks and two hit batters, striking out five.
THE NOTE I
RHP Cece Cellura hit just her second batter of the season in 93 1/3 innings. She came into the series tied for the least hit batters (1) in the country among qualified pitchers.
THE NOTE II
SDSU hit three batters on the night, tying for its most in a game this season (also Feb. 22 vs. Missouri). San Diego State hit just 15 batters in 276 innings this season prior to tonight (0.38 hit batters per game).
STAT OF THE DAY
Remarkably, the Aztecs had their first passed ball of the season in their 41st game.
UP NEXT
SDSU looks to even its series with the Wolf Pack on Saturday (4 p.m. PT).
Nevada 7, San Diego State 3
Nevada (37-13, 13-7 MW) 012 202 0 -- 7 9 1
San Diego State (26-15, 13-4 MW) 002 001 0 -- 3 6 1
Craft and A. Jenkins; Cellura, Light (4) and Decker
W - Craft, 14-4; L - Cellura, 7-4
HR: Nevada, Painter (16); San Diego State, Yellen (1)
SDSU Falls to Nevada, 7-3, in Series Opener
