Glenn Connelly / Photo EditorWhile rain and inclement weather may have canceled the final day of the San Diego Classic I, the cancellation of the tournament was overshadowed by the success of the San Diego State softball team on the games it did play.
SDSU picked up three consecutive wins against teams that were nationally ranked or received votes in either the USA Today / NFCA or ESPN.com / USA Softball poll.
“Our team this year has a great bond that no one would ever be able to tear apart,” sophomore outfielder Felicia Reifschneider said. “We win together and we lose together, but either way we play with all our heart and are there for each other every step of the way. Our team has come a long way and we are all pleased with how things are turning out.”
The Aztecs’ biggest win during the Classic was an 8-0 shutout of No. 22 / 21 Fresno State in six innings on Saturday afternoon. It was an all-around team effort, as the offense combined for 13 hits and the defense prevented the Bulldogs from getting on the board.
In six innings of work, junior pitcher Samantha Beasley didn’t walk a batter, allowed just four hits and struck out four batters to pick up her fourth shutout of the season.
Sophomore first baseman Justeen Maeva led SDSU’s offense with three hits, two of which were doubles. Reifschneider played a big role as well, going 2-for-4 at the plate and scoring three times.
Both Reifschneider and Maeva were also instrumental in the Aztecs’ 5-2 victory against Oregon on Friday, accounting for half of the team’s 10 hits. Maeva had two hits and an RBI, while Reifschneider went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
“My recent success is just me doing what I do best by putting the ball in play and making (the opposition) make a play,” Reifschneider said. “I really just go up (to the plate) thinking, “Have fun and just do what you do.'”
The offense was important in SDSU’s win against the Ducks, but pitching was just as crucial.
After allowing two runs in the second inning, sophomore pitcher Bailey Micetich got out of a bases-loaded jam in the third and then retired the final 13 batters to lead the Aztecs to victory.
Pitching played just as big of a role in Thursday’s contest, as Beasley’s complete game one-hit shutout and 13 strikeouts gave SDSU a 1-0 win against UTEP. The Miners held the Aztecs in check for most of the game, but a single in the bottom of the sixth by freshman third baseman Tanya Holguin scored Reifschneider for the game-winning run.
SDSU (11-8) will now prepare for a pair of home games this week, the first of which is against Northern Illinois at 6 p.m. tonight at the SDSU Softball Stadium.
