SAN DIEGO – With wins in the first two games of its weekend series against New Mexico, the San Diego State softball team was seeking to sweep the series against the Lobos on Sunday at SDSU Softball Stadium. After New Mexico scored on a solo home run in the second inning, SDSU pitched a shutout for the rest of the game while scoring seven runs for a 7-1 victory. The Aztecs’ win, coupled with Fresno State’s loss at UNLV, tied them for first place in the Mountain West with a 5-1 conference record.
Ashley Archuleta walked to lead off the game for New Mexico (16-16-1, 2-4 Mountain West) but San Diego State (21-10, 5-1 MW) catcher Cali Decker caught her stealing for the first out of the game. Ava Schaffel struck out the next two hitters, DeNae Vasquez-Dickson and Allie Williams, to end the first.
After Schaffel retired the first two hitters of the second inning on fly outs to the warning track in left field, Sydney Carithers homered to left to get the Lobos on the board. The Aztec response was quick as Jade Ignacio led off the bottom of the frame with a game-tying homer to left center field. Shannon Cunningham and Julie Holcomb each reached on infield singles ahead of Kate Farren, who hit a single of her own to right center, scoring Cunningham and bringing Holcomb to third. Farren stole second to put two runners in scoring position for Bella Espinoza. Espinoza singled down the left field line, scoring Holcomb to make it a 3-1 game. Farren was caught between third base and home while Espinoza ran to third. Farren appeared to be thrown out when she dove back into third base but, after review, the umpires ruled obstruction and Farren stayed on third base while Espinoza moved back to second base. Decker walked to load the bases, but a strikeout ended the inning.
Schaffel worked around a leadoff single to keep the Lobos off the board in the third. Cunningham walked for the Aztecs in the bottom half.
Cece Cellura entered the circle in the fourth inning and retired the side in order with three groundouts. Quinn Waiki led off with a single for SDSU and moved into scoring position when Farren walked. Both runners advanced on an Espinoza grounder before another ground ball, off the bat of Decker, brought home Waiki.
The Lobos went down in order against Cellura again in the fifth and she struck out Hayden Luderer for her first strikeout of the day. Jade Ignacio continued her hot hitting with a leadoff single in the bottom half. In the bottom of the frame, Cunningham was hit by a pitch before a fielder’s choice left Cunningham on second and Holcomb on first for pinch hitter Olivia Gigante. She hit a grounder to third base that went right between the legs of Carithers and into left field, scoring Cunningham and advancing Holcomb to third. Waiki went back into her spot in the lineup, running at first base, and stole second. Farren came through again with a single back up the middle, scoring both runners to bring the score to 7-1.
Cellura pitched another three up, three down frame in the sixth inning. In the seventh, Allie Williams led off with a single and Miracle McKenzie doubled down the right field line, leaving two runners in scoring position with no outs. Cellura bounced back by striking out Jessica DeLeon and retiring Georgia Heathcock on a comebacker before Farren made a diving stop and threw out Luderer at first to end the game.
THE NOTE
Jade Ignacio’s home run was the first of her collegiate career.
THE NOTE II
Ignacio finished the week with a .750 batting average (9-of-12), a 1.333 slugging percentage and a 2.083 OPS. She hit for the cycle over the course of the week, finishing with five singles, two doubles, a triple and a home run.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs head to Reno, Nevada, next weekend, for a three-game series against the Nevada Wolf Pack. The teams are scheduled to play at 3 p.m. PT on Thursday and Friday before a 12 p.m. start in Saturday’s series finale.
San Diego State 7, New Mexico 1
New Mexico (16-16-1, 2-4) 010 000 0 – 1 4 1
San Diego State (21-10, 5-1) 030 130 X – 7 8 0
W – Schaffel, 3-1; L – Fritz, 4-6; S – Cellura, 2
HR: Carithers, UNM (2); Ignacio, SDSU (1)