RENO, Nev. – Coming off a 4-0 homestand, the San Diego State softball team was riding high heading into this weekend’s series at Nevada. The top two teams in the Mountain West by RPI both sent their aces into the circle on Thursday. In the pitcher’s duel, Cece Cellura and Hailey McLean each pitched a complete game, but the Wolf Pack scored a run in the sixth and the Aztecs were held scoreless in a 1-0 final.
For San Diego State (21-11, 5-2 Mountain West), Bella Espinoza walked, and Angie Yellen doubled in the first inning, but nothing came of it. Cellura retired the Wolf Pack (25-8, 3-1 MW) in order in the bottom of the inning including a strikeout of Aaliyah Jenkins.
In the second, Cellura worked around a leadoff single to throw another scoreless inning. She capped off the frame with a strikeout of Haylee Engelbrecht.
Cellura allowed a bunt single in the third inning but sat down the other three hitters to put another zero on the scoreboard in the third inning.
Cali Decker led off the fourth inning and was hit by a pitch. Mia Rodriguez ran for her at first base and advanced to second on an Angie Yellen sacrifice bunt before moving up to third base on a wild pitch. However, the Aztecs were unable to bring her in. Cellura struck out Bailie Clark to end the bottom of the inning, keeping Nevada off the board.
Julie Holcomb bunted for a single in the fifth inning for the Aztecs but was unable to move into scoring position. Cellura induced three straight groundouts, the latter two going to Angie Yellen at third in the bottom of the inning.
The Aztecs threatened in the sixth inning. With one out, Decker walked and Yellen was hit by a pitch, but Decker was doubled off at second on a lineout, bringing the inning to an end. Saige Alfaro singled to right to open the sixth for Nevada. Jenkins followed her up with a triple down the right field line, scoring Alfaro to put the Wolf Pack up 1-0. Decker was able to pick off Jenkins at third while Cellura struck out Haley Painter for the second out. A groundout ended the inning, but the damage was done.
With one out in the seventh, Cunningham was hit by a pitch and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch before a lineout caught by the second baseman accounted for the second out. Stacey Nuveman Deniz went to her bench, sending Olivia Gigante to the plate to hit for Quinn Waiki but a groundout ended the game.
THE NOTE
Cali Decker’s hit by pitch to begin the fourth inning was the 12th of her Aztec career, moving her into a tie with Molly Sturdivant and Jenavee Peres for sixth in SDSU program history. The statistic has been tracked since 1981.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs and Wolf Pack will resume this series at 3 p.m. on Friday before a 12 p.m. start in Saturday’s series finale.
Nevada 1, San Diego State 0
San Diego State (21-11, 5-2) 000 000 0 – 0 2 0
Nevada (25-8, 3-1) 000 001 X – 1 5 0
W – McLean, 11-3; L – Cellura, 7-6
HR: None