CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – After taking down UC Santa Barbara and UC Riverside on Saturday, the San Diego State softball team was looking to build off that momentum in its two games on Sunday to wrap up the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. It would be a tale of two halves for SDSU. The Aztecs began the day against Saint Mary’s in a game scheduled for 11 a.m. The Aztecs led 5-0 midway through the fifth inning before the Gaels scored four runs in the bottom of the inning to pull within reach. Each team scored once in the sixth and the Aztecs held on for a 6-5 victory. The second game, against Hawai’i, was scoreless through three innings before SDSU got on the board in the fourth. San Diego State unloaded for seven runs in the fifth and kept the Rainbow Wahine off the board in the bottom of the inning for a run-rule 8-0 win in five innings.
As is often the case, Bella Espinoza led off with a single in the first inning against the Gaels. She stole second and advanced to third when Shannon Cunningham reached on a throw dropped by SMC first baseman Taylor Lane. Cunningham stole second and Grace Uribe walked to load the bases, but a groundout ended the inning. Cece Cellura retired the side in order in the bottom of the frame.
In the third inning, Espinoza led off again and reached base again, this time via a walk. She moved up to third on a Jazmin Williams double off that deflected off the third baseman. Cali Decker hit a sacrifice fly down the left field line, scoring Espinoza. Cunningham struck out but reached on a dropped third strike. Uribe walked to load the bases again but a shallow flyout and a pop up ended the frame without any more runs.
Quinn Waiki was hit by a pitch to begin the fourth but was caught stealing second base. Espinoza walked with two outs and moved to third on Williams’ second double of the day. Both runners scored when Decker singled back up the middle.
In the fifth inning, the Aztecs loaded the bases with no outs as Uribe, Lala Macario and Angie Yellen each singled. It appeared that Waiki hit a sacrifice fly to left but the umpires decided that Mia Rodriguez, running for Uribe, left early. The other two runners both advanced. Sav Adams hit for Kiara Cisneros and singled back up the middle, driving in Yellen and Macario to extend the Aztec lead to 5-0. In the bottom of the inning, Jena Amador began things with a double for the Gaels, who scored their first run when Mia Zabat followed it up with a double of her own. An Averie Prescott walk put two on and the runners moved into scoring position on a groundout. Cellura struck out Tori Cervantes for the second out before singles from Kiah Silva and Camille Lara scored Zabat and Prescott. Uribe relieved Cellura in the circle and induced a popup from Alex Cutonilli to end the inning with a 5-4 score.
An inning later, SDSU added an important insurance run when Williams walked and stole second before coming around to score when Decker doubled to center field on a ball that nearly cleared the fence. Taylor Lane led off with a double for Saint Mary’s in the latter half, advancing to third on a groundout and scoring on a bunt. Uribe retired the next two hitters to end the frame.
Dee Dee Hernandez, the program career saves leader, entered in the seventh looking for three more outs. After a leadoff single, Hernandez induced a pair of pop ups (one of which Waiki made an incredible diving catch on) and a ground ball as the Aztecs survived the late Gaels rally in a 6-5 victory.
In the opening inning of the second game, it appeared San Diego State would have a big first inning, but it was not to be. Espinoza led off with a double to left but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. After a foul pop up, Decker singled and Cunningham doubled but a flyout ended the frame without SDSU scratching any runs across. After closing out the first game, Hernandez started the second game and retired the side in order in the first.
In the bottom of the second, the leadoff hitter for Hawai’i, Jamie McGaughey, reached on an error but Hernandez got the next three hitters out.
Hernandez kept on going, getting another three up, three down inning in the third.
San Diego State finally got on the board in the fourth thanks to a Shannon Cunningham leadoff double as she crossed the plate on an Adams single back up the middle. Once again, Hernandez retired the side.
The fifth inning was an offensive explosion for the Aztecs. Yellen led off with a single. Espinoza followed her with a bunt single and Yellen moved to third on a throwing error by Hawai’i third baseman Liliana Thomas. Espinoza stole second to move into scoring position. A sacrifice fly by Williams advanced both runners, scoring Yellen. Decker followed her up with a single, bringing Espinoza in. Julie Holcomb ran for Decker and stole second base, moving up to third when the catcher, Izabella Martinez airmailed the throw. Shannon Cunningham struck out swinging, but Martinez dropped the third strike and had to throw Cunningham out at first, allowing Holcomb to cross the plate for the third run of the inning. Uribe walked and was run for by Ally Dueker. Macario singled and Adams walked to load the bases for Waiki. The freshman delivered with a two-run single to center to extend the lead to 6-0. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch before Yellen came back up and walked to reload the bases. Espinoza came through with a single back up the middle to score Adams and Waiki and make it an 8-0 game. A pop up finally ended the inning.
Now needing just three outs for a run rule victory, Hernandez froze Milan Ah Yat for strike three to begin the inning. Just two outs from a no hitter, the Rainbow Wahine singled twice in a row down the right field line to threaten to force more innings. Hernandez responded by striking out pitcher Millie Fidge and getting a ground ball to Waiki, who dove towards second base and tagged it with her glove before Kolbi Kochi could get there to end the game 8-0.
THE NOTE
Cali Decker’s .688 on-base percentage over the weekend led the entire Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic field of 31 teams while nobody had more stolen bases than Bella Espinoza’s six.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs host California Baptist on Tuesday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. That game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. PT.
No. 25/23 San Diego State 6, Saint Mary’s 5
San Diego State (11-3) 001 221 0 – 6 10 0
Saint Mary’s (6-7) 000 041 0 – 5 7 1
W – Cellura, 5-2; L – Wolverton, 1-4
HR: None
No. 25/23 San Diego State 8, Hawai’i 0
San Diego State (12-3) 000 17 – 8 12 1
Hawai’i (10-6) 000 00 – 0 2 2
W – Hernandez, 3-1; L – Fidge, 0-1
HR: None