When it mattered most, the San Diego State Aztecs found their stride Friday afternoon as they hung 11 total runs on the scoreboard to top the Boise State Broncos and Nevada Wolf Pack (respectively) at SDSU Softball Stadium.
Unlike Thursday’s game one action, the Aztecs had no issues driving in the runners that reached base. Senior left fielder and program leader in career stolen bases, Bella Espinoza, reached on a bunt single and immediately swiped second base. She then advanced to third on a Julie Holcomb single and stole home to put her team up 1-0.
During the 2025 Mountain West Tournament, Espinoza became the third all-time in the Aztecs’ career hits category. She has her name all over the Aztec record books and has left her mark all over the Mesa.
“It’s crazy thinking of all of the groups of girls [that I have played with] these past four years,” said Espinoza. “We have a great group of girls this year and are hoping to take two [games] tomorrow. I love San Diego, I cannot imagine playing anywhere else.”
Aztecs’ first baseman Shannon Cunningham tacked on three runs of her own to open the game on Friday via a three-run home run off the glove of Broncos’ center fielder Sophia Knight.
Scoring runs early and often in the postseason can prove vital, especially for a team like SDSU, which struggled to score in its first game. Head coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz shared her thoughts about her offense’s performance on day two of the Mountain West Tournament.
“There is nothing more dangerous than a wounded tiger,” the battle-tested head coach mentioned. “We played like we had something to lose. Yesterday, we were kind of going through the motions. Every pitch, every at-bat [and] every inning, there was a determination… that’s all we can ask.”
In the home half of the second inning, the Aztecs continued to pour it on the Broncos early. To the dismay of the Broncos’ faithful, Boise State shortstop Chloe Hughes booted an Angie Yellen ground ball, plating Jade Ignacio. As they have done all year, SDSU created havoc on the basepaths and extended their lead to 5-0.
Similar to the offense, the Aztecs’ pitching staff was determined to show out in Friday’s opening game. Sophomore Cece Cellura tossed a scoreless first three innings and only gave up three hits.
Senior Dee Dee Hernandez relieved Cellura in the fourth and could not replicate Cellura’s initial success. Hernandez loaded the bases after giving up a single, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch. After nailing her first batter, Hernandez doubled down and nailed Mykenzie Hanna, allowing Megan Lake to score.
Thankfully, SDSU’s senior reliever induced a Makenzie Butt flyout. Hernandez got out of her first inning of work, only allowing one run, keeping the score at 5-1.
Hernandez cruised through the top of the fifth inning, sitting the Broncos down in-order. The quick visiting half of the inning encouraged the Aztecs to add some insurance runs to their lead.
Cunningham reached on a single to the shortstop Hughes and her throwing error enabled pinch-runner Mia Rodriguez to cross the plate. Hughes’ errant throw was her second fielding error of the day (both errors yielded runs for the Scarlet and Black).
SDSU’s ability to put pressure on the wavering Boise State defense allowed Hernandez some wiggle room in her final two innings. She would not need it, however, as the final six Broncos hitters went down in-order.
The Scarlet and Black’s convincing 6-1 victory guaranteed them another do-or-die contest as they opposed the top-seeded Nevada Wolf Pack roughly an hour and 20 minutes after their afternoon win.
The Aztecs carried the momentum into their second game against Nevada, winning a 5-4 nail-biter.
A pinch-hit two-run bomb from freshman Gabriella Terrones and an RBI single by Julie Holcomb put the Aztecs up two in the sixth. Cece Cellura slammed the door in the bottom of the seventh, striking out the final two hitters, stranding the go-ahead run at second.
SDSU jumped out to an early lead with an RBI single from Angie Yellen in the first and an RBI double from Jade Ignacio in the second.
Defensive miscues of the Scarlet and Black allowed Nevada to tie in the fourth and to take the lead in the fifth. Catcher Cali Decker dropped a perfect relay to the plate, resulting in Nevada’s first run and Grace Uribe had trouble fielding a base hit to right field, allowing the go-ahead run to score from second.
Just when things seemed like they were getting out of hand for the Aztecs, lightning struck.
With one out in the sixth, Terrones stepped up to the plate to pinch-hit for Uribe. She had not had any success pinch-hitting so far in the tournament, going 0-2 with two strikeouts. But on a 3-2 count, Terrones brought the crowd onto their feet with a majestic two-run home run.
“It just felt so good and I knew that I just helped my team,” Terrones said. “Specifically, the seniors, we all want it so bad for each other.”
Holcomb added on a much-needed insurance run, giving the Aztecs a two-run lead with two innings left to play.
Cellura was tasked to nurse the two-run lead going into the seventh, but Nevada made it far from easy.
Aaliyah Jenkins led off the inning with a double and was brought home by a Haylee Engelbrecht RBI single. Haley Painter doubled down the right field line, putting runners on second and third. Painter represented the winning run.
In the most tense moment of the game, Nuveman Deniz came out to the circle to reset Cellura.
“They were coming out swinging,” Nuveman Deniz said. “So I said, expand the zone. Just make them get themselves out and that’s kind of what happened.”
The brief meeting was all Cellura needed in order to finish the game. Just as Terrones did in the sixth, Cellura brought the crowd on their feet once again. Striking out the next two batters, sending the Aztecs to the championship game.
“My mindset was, I have nothing to lose,” Cellura said. “I want to win, I want to go on, so why not go for it and shut it down?”
San Diego State will have to do it the hard way on Saturday, needing two victories against Fresno State in order to win the tournament. First pitch will be at noon at SDSU Softball Stadium.
“It’s one game at a time,” said Nuveman Deniz. “We have got to beat Fresno State at 12 o’clock tomorrow, and then we push it to game three.”
