San Diego State softball dominated the Southern Univerisity Jaguars in run-rule fashion to pick up their second victory of the season.
Their victory over the Jaguars was highlighted by starting pitcher Ava Schaffel.
In her first collegiate start, Schaffel twirled six shutout innings for the Aztecs. She scattered four hits and was able to notch three strikeouts en route to her first collegiate victory. Most impressively was her ability to command the strike zone, as she had a strike percentage of 68%.
To compliment Schaffel’s brilliant start, SDSU showed great plate discipline and timely hitting to power their offense. They totaled 11 hits, including RBIs from Cali Decker, Jayleen Hernandez, Angie Yellen and Quinn Waiki. The Aztecs also drew five walks in the contest.
In the top of the first the Aztecs were able to scratch one off with an RBI walk from Lala Macario, which proved to be the only needed run.
SDSU was able to extend their lead in the second with a walk from Jade Ignacio and a well-executed Bella Espinoza bunt-single set the table for a Decker two RBI double. Yellen stayed red hot with an RBI single that brought in Decker making the score 4-0 after two innings.
In the fourth, the offense capitalized on errors to score. Shannon Cunningham pinch-hit for Decker and singled through the left side. She then swiped second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Hernandez then brought her in with a sac fly. Gigante and Adams were able to both single their way on base before coming around to score from defensive miscues by the Jaguars.
The final touches were put on the game with a Yellen bunt single followed by a two-run blast by Waiki, making the score 9-0.
Defensively, SDSU played without error which allowed Schaffel to attack the zone with confidence.
San Diego State (2-2) looked to right the ship on Friday after a heartbreaking extra-innings loss to third-ranked Oklahoma. Despite Thursday’s loss, there was confidence heading into a matchup with Cal State Fullerton (1-0). The Aztecs were able to keep pace and nearly beat one of the best teams in the nation, however, the Titans’ starting pitching stifled the momentum for SDSU as they fell 7-3.
Runs were not easy to come by in the early going of Friday’s game. The pitching on both sides was excellent. SDSU starting pitcher Cece Cellura was dialed in, hitting her spots and inducing weak contact. Fullerton starting pitcher Leanna Garcia rose to the occasion as well. Her method of success came in the form of attacking Aztecs in the zone, she would finish with an impressive eight strikeouts.
Fullerton would strike first thanks to a three-hit third inning. The run came off the back of a Sarah Perez single up the middle. Perez was an issue for the Aztecs all night long, recording three hits in her four plate appearances.
SDSU responded immediately to the Titans. Senior Grace Uribe cracked a liner into left field, which hit off the glove of left fielder Kristalyn Romulo, resulting in a double. Senior Lala Macario then drove Uribe in with a single up the middle, tying the game at one. Uribes double would be SDSU’s only extra-base hit of the night.
The wheels fell off for SDSU in the bottom of the fifth inning. Cece Cellura began the inning, but the decision was made to swap pitchers after Fullerton’s Sophia Guevara reached on an infield error. Senior Dee Dee Hernandez would come out of the pen, but she lacked control, walking back-to-back batters. With the bases loaded she gave up back-to-back bloop singles, resulting in Fullerton taking a 3-1 lead.
The bleeding continued as SDSU brought Cece Cellura back into the game with the bases loaded, only for her to give up a bases-clearing double on the first pitch. The double was the Titans’ fourth hit in a row. The last run for Fullerton came across in the form of a sacrifice bunt by Lulu Sanchez, giving the Titans a 7-1 lead.
SDSU failed to respond in the sixth, leaving two runners on, wasting a prime chance to keep themselves in the game.
The Aztecs turned to Grace Uribe, to keep the score put in the bottom of the sixth. Even with some traffic, she would pitch effectively, getting out of the inning with a timely strikeout.
Despite the deficit and the reality that Fullerton’s Leanna Garcia was dealing with, SDSU showed some fight in the bottom of the seventh. Freshman Quinn Waiki walked to begin the inning, then junior Jade Ignacio reached on an infield error. The error was Fullerton’s third of the game, uncharacteristic for one of the better defensive infields in the nation.
Despite the runners, SDSU would hit into back-to-back outs. Jazmin Williams’s RBI single proved to be too little too late, as Grace Uribe would follow up the single with a flyout to left field, ending the game.
SDSU just could not seem to get to Leanna Garcia. Despite the errors she finished her night with a complete game-one earned run performance, earning the victory. The loss would be pegged on Cece Cellura, with three earned runs in five innings pitched, but the roughest line belonged to Dee Dee Hernandez. Hernandez gave up four runs and did not record a single out in her relief appearance.
San Diego State will look to get back on track Feb. 9 against Army on the road.
