SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Diego State softball team (21-19, 6-9 Mountain West) rallied to score five runs in the seventh inning to take down San Jose State (11-27, 3-12 MW) in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday. San Jose State leads 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning of the second game, which has been suspended. The teams will attempt to resume play at 11 a.m. on Sunday morning.
The Aztecs threatened in the first inning of the first game with singles by Angie Yellen and Kaila Pollard. Matti Kwarta retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning.
Olivia Gigante homered to center field in the fourth inning to give the Aztecs a 1-0 advantage. Ava Schaffel struck out two Spartans in the bottom of the frame, continuing to keep them from scoring.
In the fifth inning, Lala Macario singled for SDSU and Schaffel put together a 1-2-3 inning.
San Jose State tied the score in the sixth on a solo homer by Reina Zermeno. Schaffel kept the game tied, striking out the next hitter before Gabriella Terrones threw out a runner stealing to end the inning.
The game was not tied for long. Gigante led off with another homer, a moonshot to left field, to put the Aztecs back in front in the seventh inning. Following an hour-long rain delay, Macario and Kiara Cisneros hit back-to-back singles. An error on the Cisneros single allowed both to take an extra base, leaving two runners in scoring position for Jade Ignacio. Ignacio drove in both with a single to center field. After another single, this one by Yellen, Pollard doubled into the gap in right center field, scoring both Ignacio and Yellen to extend the lead to 6-1 San Diego State. Quinn Waiki also walked before the inning was over. Faith Jordan worked around two walks in the bottom of the inning to finish off the win.
SJSU jumped out to an early lead in the second game. After Key-annah Pu’a got two outs to start the game including a strikeout, Ahmiya Noriega singled before Zermeno hit a two-run homer. Pu’a struck out Leata Sherlin to end the inning.
In the second inning, the Spartans rallied with two outs once again. Gigi Ortega singled and stole second base before coming around to score on a single by Sophia Burdick.
Terrones and Ignacio each singled in the third inning for the Aztecs. Jordan entered the circle in the latter half and retired the side in order.
Jordan worked around a leadoff single in the fourth.
In the fifth inning, Burdick singled, advanced on an error on the play and moved up to third base on a wild pitch before scoring on a single by Carly Cummings. Schaffel was called in to pitch but before Noriega could step into the batter’s box, the umpires signaled for another rain delay. This one would not be as short, getting suspended until Sunday after about half an hour.
THE NOTE
Olivia Gigante homered twice in the first game, joining Mac Barbara, Danielle Romanello, Quinn Waiki and Jazmin Williams as the fifth different Aztec in the Stacey Nuveman Deniz era (since the start of 2022) with a multi-homer game. Gigante, Waiki and Williams have each accomplished the feat this season.
UP NEXT
San Diego State returns home to start its final homestand of the season. SDSU will play a three-game series against No. 20/25 Grand Canyon from April 17-19 and another a week later against Boise State from April 24-26. Both series are Friday-Sunday with start times of 6 p.m. PT Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday and noon on Sunday. Against GCU, Friday night is 90’s night, Saturday is the alumni game with a silicone bracelet giveaway and will air on Mountain West Network and on Sunday, the team will sign autographs following the contest.
San Diego State 6, San Jose State 1
San Diego State (21-19, 6-9) 000 100 5 – 6 11 1
San Jose State (11-27, 3-12) 000 001 0 – 1 3 1
W – Schaffel, 3-0; L – Faus, 6-13
HR: Gigante, SDSU (9); Zermeno, SJSU (7); Gigante, SDSU (10)
San Jose State 4, San Diego State 0
San Diego State (21-19, 6-9) 000 00 – 0 2 1
San Jose State (11-27, 3-12) 210 01 – 4 7 0
W – TBD; L – TBD
HR: Zermeno, SJSU (8)