SDSU (15-9) hosted a doubleheader Saturday against the Sacramento State Hornets (12-11) and the No. 6/6 UCLA Bruins (22-4).
In the game against the Hornets, clutch hitting and stellar pitching performances propelled the Aztecs to a 5-2 victory.
The Hornets came out strong to start the game, as they scored their first run on an RBI double from second baseman Nikki Barboza. They would score again a few hitters later due to an error by first baseman Cali Decker, giving them a 2-0 lead.
SDSU used their patient approach to strike back in the second inning as they scored three runs off the bats of Quinn Waiki and Kate Farren.
Waiki tied the game for the Aztecs with a two-run single, and Farren gave them the lead with an RBI groundout, making it a 3-2 game.
The Aztecs added to their lead in the third inning with two runs courtesy of Waiki and Jazmin Williams.
Williams produced a bases-loaded single to give the Aztecs a 4-2 lead, and Waiki would come up with her third RBI of the night on a sacrifice fly to give her team a 5-2 lead.
Both Waiki and Williams are new faces in the Aztecs’ program and have demonstrated why they are integral pieces to their team’s success. Head coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz discussed postgame how big of a deal it is to see her recruits make immediate impacts.
“Seeing them perform and do their job is gratifying as recruiters,” Nuveman Deniz said. “We’re recruiting the right players to come in and take care of business and do what we need them to do on the field.”
SDSU’s pitching seemed to be too much for the Hornets as they would not be able to score another run for the rest of the game.
Only two pitchers were used by the Scarlet and Black as Cece Cellura started the game, going four innings, allowing only three hits and one earned run. Grace Uribe produced her first save of the season, going three innings and giving up only three hits and no earned runs.
Throughout the game, the Aztecs used their patient approach at the plate to drive up the pitch count and make the opposing pitchers throw strikes. This ended up being a perfect game plan as they capitalized on walks early in the game to put runners in scoring positions.
As the sun diminished over the left field fence, so did SDSU’s bats. UCLA junior Taylor Tinsley took the circle for the Bruins and shut down the Aztecs for seven straight innings. The patient approach seen in game one was absent during the nightcap.
Tinsley commanded the upper half of the strike zone with her superb riseball, forcing many Aztecs to chase. Contrary to their three strikeouts in the Sacramento State game, SDSU hitters went down on strikes nine times Saturday night. Coach Nuveman Deniz commented on Tinsley’s performance postgame.
“She throws the ball hard, and she’s got a good riseball and mixes in a nice offspeed [pitch], as well,” said the Aztecs’ head coach. “She’s got a two-dimensional look, and we just didn’t catch up to her tonight.”
The Bruins’ flamethrower tossed seven innings of no-hit, no-run softball, striking out nine hitters and only walking one. The only things keeping Tinsley from a complete game were her lone walk and an error by third baseman Jordan Woolery.
SDSU’s offense was also plagued by injuries. The integral bats of seniors Bella Espinoza and Lala Macario were forced to ride the bench Saturday. Coach Nuveman Deniz considers them “table-setters” and explained how the two seniors contribute to her team’s scoring output.
“They’re getting on base and getting our offense going. When they’re not in the lineup, it puts pressure on other people to step up,” said the Aztecs’ skipper. “Tonight was just tough, but I think we’re going to be fine; we just have to regroup.”
The lackluster offensive performance from the Scarlet and Black forced them to rely heavily on those in the circle.
Senior Dee Dee Hernandez got the starting nod against the Bruins. She cruised through her first two innings of action but gave up a three-run home run to UCLA senior Savannah Pola, putting the Aztecs behind 3-0.
Hernandez found a slight groove after Pola’s home run, allowing for a breezy and scoreless fourth and fifth innings.
RBI base hits from junior Megan Grant and freshman Rylee Slimp allowed the Bruins to commandeer a 5-0 advantage and force Hernandez out of the game. The Aztecs’ starter lasted six innings, accumulating three strikeouts, five earned runs, six hits and two walks.
Freshman Ava Schaffel commanded the circle for the final frame, only needing 14 pitches to complete a scoreless seventh inning and not add any insult to injury.
SDSU went down in order in the last half of the seventh, allowing Tinsley to improve her record to 4-1. On the other hand, Hernandez dropped her record in the circle to 4-3.
The Aztecs look to wake up their bats and hang crooked numbers early as they travel to Logan, Utah, opening conference play with a three-game series against the Utah State Aggies beginning on Friday.
