Due to forecasted rain, San Diego State softball’s scheduled Sunday afternoon game against Colorado State was moved to Friday before the original series opener. The team split the doubleheader with the Rams, winning the first game, 3-2, and losing the second, 6-4.
The Aztecs won the opener on a walk-off error by CSU second baseman Taryn Arcarese in the bottom of the seventh inning. SDSU loaded the bases with one out on back-to-back singles by redshirt-freshman Katie Byrd and senior Samantha Camello. Arcarese then bobbled a chopper from senior Leia Ruiz and threw it home late as Byrd slid in for the game-winning run.
Junior Erica Romero picked up the win after striking out three, but allowing two unearned runs on five hits and two walks throughout the game.
The Aztecs gained an early lead in the second game of the night when freshman Molly Sturdivant hit a three-run homer over the left-field fence, bringing Ruiz and sophomore Jenavee Peres in to score. It was Sturdivant’s fourth home run of the year.
SDSU held on to a 3-0 lead until CSU tied it up in the fourth after back-to-back walks were brought in to score with a double from Arcarese.
It looked like the Aztecs would take the sweep when Byrd hit a two-out single through the left side to score freshman pinch runner Aris Metcalfe in the bottom of the sixth to put the team ahead, 4-3.
However, the Rams scored three times in the top of the seventh and SDSU couldn’t rally to take the win in the bottom of the inning.
After watching the team battle in both games, head coach Kathy Van Wyk recognizes there is still much progress to be made.
“The second game, I don’t think our offensive production showed on the scoreboard,” she said. “We hit the ball really hard, a lot, and right at people, but we didn’t get any production for that. We’ve been having a rough go of it, and pitching is shaky as far as who’s going to show up.”
The loss brought the team’s record to 22-17 overall and 4-7 in Mountain West play. The Aztecs will go for the series win against the Rams Saturday at noon at SDSU Softball Stadium.
