LONG BEACH, Calif. – The San Diego State softball team (13-8) routed the Long Beach State Beach (12-9) 13-0 in five innings on Wednesday behind a seven-run first inning and a no-hitter by Faith Jordan, the fifth in San Diego State’s recorded history.
Lala Macario led off the ballgame with a single back up the middle that deflected off second base after clearing the pitcher and the middle infielders. Jazmin Williams lined a double to left center field to bring in Macario and get the Aztecs on the board first. Williams moved up to third base on an infield single by Kaila Pollard. Angie Yellen lined a one-out single to right field to bring in Williams and double the lead to two runs. Yellen stole her way into scoring position, setting up Olivia Gigante, who drove in both runners with a two-run double to left. Quinn Waiki followed her with an infield single before Kiara Cisneros brought in Gigante with a single through the right side. Waiki came in from second on a Julie Holcomb single to score the sixth run of the inning. On a double steal, Holcomb was out at second base, but it allowed Cisneros to score. Macario got on for the second time of the inning with a walk, but the Aztecs would not deal any more damage in the frame. Jordan needed just eight pitches for a 1-2-3 bottom of the inning.
Jade Ignacio singled with one out in the second and moved up on an error. Yellen singled, moving Ignacio to third. The team started to execute a double steal, but Yellen retreated to first base, drawing the throw while Ignacio successfully stole home. Gigante walked and Waiki singled to load the bases. Cisneros hit a fly ball to left. The left fielder made a nice sliding catch, but Yellen scored on the play for a sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the inning, Long Beach State had their first baserunner of the game when Gabriella Terrones’ sister Malayna walked, but Jordan didn’t allow her to reach scoring position.
The Aztecs continued to add on in the third inning. Macario led off with a walk and came around to score on a double off the wall in center field off the bat of Williams. Pollard singled and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Yellen singled through the right side to score Williams before Pollard scored on a wild pitch to make it a dozen runs for the Aztecs. Emma French ran for Yellen and scored on a single to shortstop by Waiki. Jordan retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning including a strikeout.
Both Aztecs with sisters on the Long Beach State roster reached base in the fourth. Jayleen Hernandez singled and Gabriella Terrones walked. Jordan logged her second straight three up, three down inning, finishing it off with a strikeout of Nina Sepulveda.
The highlight of the top of the fifth for San Diego State was a double to left center by Matti Kwarta, her first collegiate hit. Jordan entered the bottom of the inning three outs away from history. Ground balls to third and first base accounted for the first two outs. However, Macie Lawrence drew a walk to keep the game going. On an 0-2 count, Jordan got Sophia Stein to fly out to center field to complete the no-hitter and finish the game with a 13-0 win.
STAT OF THE DAY
The majority of no-hitters in San Diego State recorded history (3-of-5) have taken place on March 4.
THE NOTE I
San Diego State had its highest scoring first inning since also scoring seven in the opening frame of a 9-1 win in five innings at Boise State on May 9, 2024, the Quarterfinals of that season’s Mountain West Tournament.
THE NOTE II
Faith Jordan joins the ranks of Maggie Balint (May 6, 2022), Celena Velasquez (March 4, 2005) and Bre DeSanta (March 4 & 18, 2003) as Aztecs to throw no-hitters.
UP NEXT
SDSU is back home this weekend to host the San Diego Classic. The Aztecs will open at 6 p.m. on Thursday with a game against Wisconsin. Following a day off on Friday, SDSU is back in action against Notre Dame at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and wraps up the weekend facing Princeton at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.
San Diego State 13, Long Beach State 0
San Diego State (13-8) 724 00 – 13 17 0
Long Beach State (12-9) 000 00 – 0 0 2
W – Jordan, 5-1; L – Banda, 2-3
HR: None