LOGAN, Utah – The San Diego State softball team scored 20 runs on Friday on the first day of Mountain West play at Utah State. After earning a 13-8 win in the first game, SDSU led 7-4 after five innings in the second game of the day before it was suspended due to a lack of light. That game resumed on Sunday morning and the Aztecs scored once, and the Aggies scored twice as San Diego State held on for an 8-6 victory. Next up, the teams began the final game of the series. The low-scoring game was 1-0 before SDSU tied things up in the top of the fifth. The Aggies retook the lead with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Down to their last three outs, the Aztecs scored three times in the top of the seventh to tie the game at four. Following a controversial call, Utah State’s Grace Matej hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the inning as the Aggies picked up a 5-4 win.
With one out in the sixth inning, Shannon Cunningham doubled to make her way into scoring position. After a Grace Uribe walk, Julie Holcomb singled through the right side to score Cunningham from second and extend the Aztec lead to 8-4. In the bottom of the inning, Giselle Gonzalez singled before Matej homered to right field to cut the SDSU lead in half. A pair of singles and an error loaded the bases, but Uribe struck out Kaylee Erickson to end the inning with the Aztecs up 8-6.
Kate Farren singled and Cali Decker walked in the seventh, but the Aztecs were unable to add to their lead. After Ariel Fifita walked with one out in the seventh, Uribe got Claudia Medina to hit into a double play to end the game.
Decker doubled and Cunningham walked in the first inning of the second game but were unable to cross the plate. Dee Dee Hernandez worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Aggies off the board in the bottom of the frame.
In the second, the Aztecs got two runners on again when Ally Dueker singled and Farren walked but neither runner was able to advance past second. Olivia Marble homered to center in the bottom of the second to put the Aggies up 1-0. Hernandez erased a one-out walk by getting Emerson Meggers to hit into an inning-ending double play.
Cunningham doubled for the second time on Sunday in the third inning. For the second straight inning, Hernandez induced an inning-ending double play in the third.
SDSU threatened once more but did not score in the fourth after singles from Quinn Waiki and Gabriella Terrones. Hernandez retired the side in order in the bottom of the frame. Waiki made a fantastic diving catch for the final out.
The Aztecs finally got on the board to tie the game in the fifth inning. Cali Decker led off with a double and was run for by Mia Rodriguez. The next hitter, Angie Yellen, brought in Rodriguez with a single to left. Uribe hit a deep fly ball to left field, but it was caught at the wall and SDSU was unable to take the lead. The Aggies went back on top in the bottom of the inning. Uribe took over in the circle for San Diego State. Marble led off with a double and advanced to third on a single by Kya Pratt. Marble scored when Medina doubled to left. Uribe was able to retire the next two hitters before Erickson hit a two-run single to center. A walk of Gonzalez ended Uribe’s day in the circle and Ava Schaffel entered the game to pitch. Another walk loaded the bases, but Schaffel got Alex Bunton to fly out to end the inning with USU leading 4-1.
Dueker led off with a walk in the sixth but was picked off. Farren replaced her at first with a single and moved up to second on a groundout but was unable to advance any farther. Schaffel hit a batter and allowed a single but kept the Aggies off the board.
The Aztec offense rallied to tie the game in the seventh. Yellen led off with a double and scored on a Cunningham single up the middle. Uribe followed her up with a two-run homer to right to tie the score at four and chase Emmalyn Brinka from the game. SDSU was unable to take the lead, and the game went to the bottom of the inning. Hernandez came back in and retired the first two hitters. It appeared she struck out Grace Matej swinging to send the game to extra innings, but after a long discussion, the umpires decided that Matej tipped the ball foul, and the at-bat would continue. The decision was critical as Matej hit a walk-off home run to right.
THE NOTE
The suspended game allowed senior pitcher Dee Dee Hernandez to start consecutive games for the first time in her collegiate career.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs return to America’s Finest City for four home games. On Wednesday, SDSU will host the University of San Diego at 6 p.m. Over the weekend, San Diego State will play a three-game series against New Mexico with scheduled start times of 6 p.m. on Friday, 4 p.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday. All four games will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network.
San Diego State 8, Utah State 6
San Diego State (17-9) 202 211 0 – 8 11 1
Utah State (14-12) 200 202 0 – 6 12 1
W – Hernandez, 5-3; L – Smith, 0-3
HR: Decker, SDSU (4); Fifita, USU (6); Matej, USU (3)
Utah State 5, San Diego State 4
San Diego State (17-10) 000 010 3 – 4 11 1
Utah State (15-12) 010 030 1 – 5 8 0
W – Pindel, 8-1; L – Hernandez, 5-4
HR: Marble, USU (2); Uribe, SDSU (3); Matej, USU (4)