SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State softball team (20-16, 5-6 Mountain West) coasted to a 9-1 win over Utah State (15-21, 4-7 MW) in five innings on Friday night at SDSU Softball Stadium.
San Diego State starter Key-annah Pu’a got all three Aggie batters to hit infield pop ups in the first inning. Quinn Waiki gave the Aztecs an early lead with a solo homer down the left field line in the bottom of the inning.
Pu’a retired the side in order again in the second and third innings. SDSU rallied for three runs in the bottom of the third. Gabriella Terrones led off and walked. Ally Dueker bunted her into scoring position and Terrones moved to third base on a single by Lala Macario. Kaila Pollard hit a fly ball to center field and Utah State thought they had an inning-ending double play with Terrones out at home plate but replay review showed obstruction by catcher Sofia Trejo on the slide and the Aztecs made it 2-0. The next batter, Waiki, made Utah State pay, launching a two-run home run out to center field.
Utah State got their first two baserunners of the game in the fourth inning on a pair of singles, but Pu’a prevented any runs from crossing the plate as Waiki made a leaping catch on a line drive for the third out. The Scarlet and Black continued to add on in the latter half of the frame. Jazmin Williams opened things up with an infield single and Angie Yellen reached on a fielder’s choice. Emma French also reached on a fielder’s choice, but Yellen was thrown out at second base on the play. Terrones walked once again to load the bases. Macario followed with a grounder to third base and Utah State threw home for the second out, but the bases remained loaded. Pollard stepped in and unloaded the bases with a single up the middle. Terrones and Dueker scored while a bad throw from center field allowed Macario to score all the way from first base and make it 8-0 SDSU.
The Aztecs needed just three more outs to finish off the win, but Grace Matej led off with a solo homer to keep the game going. Pu’a responded by retiring the next three hitters. The Aztecs needed to score just one run to end the game, and it took just two pitches in the bottom of the inning. Olivia Gigante smashed the first offering from Carly Limosnero into the gap in right center field for a double. Mia Rodriguez ran for Gigante. The first pitch to Williams was in the dirt and Rodriguez raced to third base. Trejo’s throw down to third base ricocheted off Rodriguez’s helmet and landed on top of the San Diego State dugout, out of play. The umpires sent Rodriguez home to score and cap off the 9-1 victory.
THE NOTE
Quinn Waiki, who also hit two home runs at Boise State on April 18, 2025, joins Mac Barbara as the only Aztecs to hit multiple home runs in a game on multiple occasions during the Stacey Nuveman Deniz era (since the beginning of the 2022 season).
UP NEXT
San Diego State wraps up the series against Utah State at noon on Saturday. The game will be broadcast on Mountain West Network and is Aztec Kids Club Day featuring free children’s activities including a balloon artist and face painter.
San Diego State 9, Utah State 1
Utah State (15-21, 4-7) 000 01 – 1 3 2
San Diego State (20-16, 5-6) 103 41 – 9 7 0
W – Pu’a, 5-6; L – Lish, 1-4
HR: Waiki, SDSU (3); Waiki, SDSU (4); Matej, USU (6)