Glenn Connelly / Assistant Photo EditorWhen head coach Kathy Van Wyk recruited Samantha Beasley, she knew what she was getting.
Van Wyk saw great potential. She recognized that she was a great all-around athlete who could play at any position.
So it was no surprise that Beasley found the right formula for success and put up quality numbers in her freshman campaign with the San Diego State softball team.
But one game stands out from the rest.
Against USD on March 18, Beasley had one of her greatest performances in the circle as well as at the plate.
She struck out 10 batters in 6 2/3 innings and also hit a grand slam, which proved to be the difference in a 7-3 victory.
“It was my first homerun and my first grand slam, so I was just excited to have a big game,” Beasley said. “I know I am not hitting right now, but I’m ready to come out and play strong in pitching (for the team).”
And Van Wyk expects Beasley to have the same success when the San Diego State softball team faces off against the Toreros at 6 p.m. tonight at the SDSU Softball Stadium.
The Aztecs will be looking to get back on track after a difficult weekend in the Fifth Annual Mardi Gras Invitational. SDSU struggled to find much offense without catcher Erin Floros (appendicitis) and will be without the senior for at least the next three weeks.
“Obviously we need to regroup and we need to kind of reevaluate and start working on some new things,” Van Wyk said. “In particular, we need to start working a little harder on the hitting.”
That will be especially poignant this weekend when the Aztecs face a tough slate of games this weekend in the San Diego Classic I. SDSU opens up against Oregon at 7 p.m. on Friday, but its focus will likely be on No. 6 UCLA after a tough loss earlier this season.
The Aztecs know that they should have beaten the Bruins back on Feb. 8, but a ninth inning grand slam spoiled what would have been a meaningful victory.
SDSU will be looking to get a little bit of revenge in this second matchup at 7 p.m. on Saturday. And if the Aztecs can find their rhythm, they can turn things around with a big upset.
“I think we all just need to come together as a team,” senior third baseman Christine Kulick said. “We’re all trying to find what we can do to help out each other and I think that a lot of us are getting back into the groove of things. And I think if we all be aggressive at the plate and come together as a team, we’ll be just fine.”
AT A GLANCE
When: 6 p.m. tonight
Where: SDSU Softball Stadium
Why to watch: Last year against USD, Samantha Beasley hit a grand slam and struck out 10 batters in a 7-3 victory over the Toreros. This year, Beasley will look to get things done solely in the circle.
