AZTEC SOFTBALL RUN-RULES NEW MEXICO 10-2 IN FIVE INNINGS

SDSU moves into a tie for second place in MW standings with fourth straight win

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo:  Zaria Meshack scored a career-high four runs and tied a career best with three hits in SDSU's 10-2 win over New Mexico.  Courtesy goaztecs.com

April 14, 2017 (San Diego) - San Diego State run-ruled New Mexico 10-2 in five innings for its fourth consecutive victory Friday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (22-14), who came into the weekend in a tie for seventh place, are now in a tie for second in the Mountain West standings at 6-5 after clinching the series over the Lobos (19-17, 5-6 MW).

SDSU jumped out to a 9-0 lead with two runs in the bottom of the first inning, four in the second and three in the fourth, before UNM took advantage of a San Diego State error in the top of the fifth and later score two runs. The Aztecs secured the run-rule win in the bottom of the fifth when Zaria Meshack reached on a two-out error and scored on a double by Katie Byrd.

SDSU is currently tied with San José State for second in the nine-team MW at 6-5, but has the tiebreaker advantage after winning two of three against the Spartans two weekends ago. Utah State remains atop the standings at 10-3, three games ahead of San Diego State and SJSU.

The Aztecs banged out 11 hits in the victory and used a fine pitching performance from freshman Marissa Moreno (Torrance, Calif.). Additionally, SDSU ended up with four doubles and a season-high five stolen bases.

Meshack, who was 3-for-3 on Thursday, was 3-for-4 tonight with a career-high four runs scored and an RBI, while also tying a career best with two stolen bases.

Molly Sturdivant (Santa Ana, Calif.) and Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.) each added two hits and two RBIs apiece. Sturdivant doubled twice and drove in two runs, while Cable had a double and two RBIs.

Jenavee Peres (Garden Grove, Calif.) singled, had two RBIs, two runs and a stolen base, and Kiera Wright (Riverside, Calif.) recorded a hit, two runs and her team-leading 10^th stolen base of the season.

The offense was plenty for Moreno (8-5), who allowed two unearned runs on four hits over five innings, while striking out five. Moreno surrendered just one hit through the first four innings, before UNM got to the right-hander with three hits in the fifth, eventually scoring after the lone SDSU error.

San Diego State will look to complete the series sweep at noon PT Saturday.

Notes:

• The Aztecs won their 43^rd consecutive game when scoring at least 10 runs (7-0 this year)
• SDSU also improved to 11-1 when scoring in the first inning, 19-2 when outhitting its opponent, 22-4 when leading at any point in the game, 5-1 in run-rule games, 14-4 when scoring first and 14-6 in single-game days
• Meshack tied a career high with three hits and had a career-best four runs
• Meshack reached base safely for the 15^th straight game, the longest streak of her career
• Meshack had her 12^th multi-hit game of the year and third three-hit game
• Meshack’s .413 average is ranked fourth in San Diego State single-season history
• Peres had her eighth multi-RBI game of the year and team-leading eighth multi-run game
• Peres’ .398 average is ranked sixth in Aztec single-season history, while her .733 slugging percentage is also ranked sixth
• Peres recorded her fifth sacrifice fly of the season and ninth of her career, both which tie a SDSU record (season/career)
• Peres moved into 10^th in San Diego State history in runs (92)
• Sturdivant had her team-leading 10^th multi-RBI game of the season and ninth multi-hit game 
• Cable had her 13^th multi-hit game and ninth multi-RBI game, both which rank second on the team 
• Wright recorded her fourth multi-run game of the season

San Diego State 10, New Mexico 2 (5 innings)

New Mexico (19-17, 5-6 MW)                  000 02 -- 2 4 5

San Diego State (22-14, 6-5 MW)             140 31 -- 10 11 1

Main, Bethke (2) and Wimert, Johnson (2); Moreno and Peres, Orlando (4)

W - Moreno, 8-5; L - Main, 6-6

Box