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Aztecs beat Cal State Fullerton in extra innings, fall to Kentucky on day one of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo courtesy goaztecs.com
February 24, 2023 (Cathedral City, Calif.) - San Diego State split a pair on the opening day of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Thursday. The Aztecs (9-3) earned a 6-5 extra innings win in their first game against Cal State Fullerton, before falling 2-0 to No. 18/18 Kentucky in the nightcap.
After initially being down 4-0, the Aztecs clawed their way back to force extra inning in the afternoon matchup with Cal State Fullerton. In extra innings, Ally Dueker singled to put runners on the corners with no outs and then Macey Keester advanced Dueker to second. Makena Brocki then came to bat with an out and runners on second and third. She then hit a 2-2 pitch to shallow right field, but that was all the room Trinity Brandon needed as she scored from third to walk it off for the Aztecs, 6-5 in eight innings.
Earlier in the game, Fullerton opened the scoring in the top of the second inning. With a runner on second a ball was hit up the middle that Aztec second baseman Taylor Okada fielded on the run and tried to make a tough throw to first, but fired wide of Mac Barbara at first base, and the runner who started on second came home to score, giving Fullerton a 1-0 lead.
Fullerton would tack on three more in the top of the third, two came from a homerun off the bat of Hannah Becer, and then later in the inning Anaiya Mitch scored on a pass ball, giving the Titans a 4-0 lead.
Allie Light took over in the circle in the top of the fourth, and calmly fanned two batters in her first inning of work.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Aztec bats woke up. After Barbara drew a walk, AJ Murphy got on base courtesy of an error, and the Aztecs had runners on first and second with one out. Two batters later, Okada reached on a fielding error, which Murphy scored on to make it a 4-1 ballgame. The next batter, Alex Bunton then singled home Cali Decker to make it a 4-2 game.
In the top of the fifth Light continued to dominate the Fullerton hitters, sending down all three batters in the inning via the strikeout. The Aztecs would then tie the game in the bottom of the fifth, courtesy of Barbara. With Jillian Celis already on the basepaths, Barabara sent a 1-0 pitch over the fence in left field to tie the game at 4-4. The home run is Barbara's third of the season.
Light would sandwich her sixth and seventh strikeouts of the game around a solo home run in the top of the sixth, giving CSUF a 5-4 lead in the top of the sixth. But the Aztecs responded quickly in the bottom half of the inning. With runners on the corner, the Titans brought in a new pitcher, and the first pitch was thrown wide of the catcher, allowing pinch runner Elianna Reyes to score from third and tie the game at 5-5.
An inning later the Aztecs threatened and loaded the bases but could not cash in, and the game went into extra innings where the Aztecs were able to put the Titans away.
As for the nightcap, No. 18 Kentucky jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first courtesy of Eric Collef. The Wildcats then tacked on another run in the second to take a 2-0 lead into the third.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Aztecs were up against one of the best pitchers in the country in Kentucky ace, Stephanie Schoonover. Schoonover boasted a 0.99 ERA heading into Thursday night's contest, and was 4-0 to begin the season. However, the Aztecs threatened in the third inning when Bella Espinoza got a knock before Barbara followed that with another single to put runners on first and second. Unfortunately for the Aztecs, the squad were not able to cash in and the Wildcats still lead 2-0 after two and a half.
The score would remain 2-0 through the third and fourth innings, in large part due to relief pitcher Allie Light. After coming on in the third inning, Light forced the Wildcats hitter into four groundball outs and a strikeout in her first two innings of work. Then in the top of the fifth the Aztecs threatened again. After Bella Espinoza got abord with two outs via a bunt, Jillian Celis smoked a ball to left, and Espinoza tried to score from first but was thrown out at the plate, and Kentucky clung to their 2-0 advantage.
The Aztecs threatened again in the sixth. After Barbara walked, Decker grounded into a fielders choice for the first out. AJ Murphy then singled and advanced on the throw, as pinch runner Elianna Reyes went from first to third on the play, but SDSU could not cash in, and left both stranded.
San Diego State would try again once more in the seventh. Espinoza earned her fourth hit of the game with one out to put a runner on first. Celis then singled to put runners on first and second for Barbara. Barbara almost plated Espinoza but the Wildcats left fielder made a diving stop to secure the second out. Cali Decker kept the inning alive with a walk to load the bases before Schoonover got AJ Murphy to ground out to third to end the game and earn the 2-0 win for the Wildcats.
STATS OF THE DAY
Allie Light had seven strikeouts in the game against Cal State Fullerton, tying her career high which was set in the NCAA Tempe Regional against CSUF last year. Bella Espinoza earned four hits in the loss to Kentucky, those four hits tie her career high.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs continue play at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Friday when they play Brigham Young at 8 p.m. PT.
Game 1 (8 innings): San Diego State 6, Cal State Fullerton 5
Cal State Fullerton (6-5) 013 001 00 -- 5 7 3
San Diego State (9-2) 000 221 01 -- 6 6 2
W - Lehman, 3-0; L Rainey, 2-3
HR: San Diego State, Barbara (3)
Game 2: No. 18/18 Kentucky 2, San Diego State 0,
San Diego State (9-3) 000 000 0 -- 0 8 2
Utah Valley (9-1-1) 110 000 X -- 2 4 1
W - Schoonover, 5-0; L - Martinez, 3-1; SV - Light, 3
HR: Kentucky, Coffel (1)
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