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Aztecs drop to 17-11 on the season
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo courtesy goaztecs.com
March 8, 2020 (Long Beach) - San Diego State lost a pair of games on the final day of the Louisville Slugger Classic Sunday afternoon at LBSU Softball Complex. The Aztecs (17-11) rallied late in the opener, but dropped a 5-3 decision to No. 22/22 UCF before falling to host Long Beach State 8-0 in five innings in the nightcap.
In the opener, San Diego State rallied for three runs in the sixth inning, but fell, 5-3, to the Knights (19-5).
Trailing, 5-0 with just one hit through five innings, the Aztecs finally got things going against UCF pitcher Alea White in the bottom of the sixth inning. Taylor Adams started things off for SDSU with a one-out solo home run over the left field wall. It was her first homer of the season. Shelby Thompson and Sadie Langlet later reached on walks with Paige Barth replacing Langlet at first base. With two outs, Jessica Cordola came into the game to pinch hit and promptly doubled to right field to score Thompson and Barth. Riley Thies, however, flew out to left field to keep the score at 5-3.
After San Diego State pitcher Marissa Moreno retired the Knights in order in the top of the seventh, the Aztecs mounted one last-ditch effort in the bottom of the seventh when Summer Hargett (walk) and Adams (error) each got on base. But with two outs, White got Thompson to ground out to second base to end the game.
UCF got on the scoreboard in the fourth on a solo home run by Shannon Doherty, and then scored four runs on four hits and a walk in the sixth to take a 5-0 lead before SDSU rallied in the sixth.
Langlet led San Diego State at the plate by going 1-for-1 with two walks. Thompson also walked twice, while Adams and Cordola had the Aztecs’ other hits.
Maggie Balint took the loss after allowing five runs on eight hits and five walks over 5 2/3 innings, while striking out five. She is now 8-5 on the season. Moreno tossed the final 1 1/3 innings of relief without allowing a baserunner, striking out two.
In the nightcap, in a game that didn’t start until 1 hour, 50 minutes after its original start time because of previous contests, the Aztecs were run-ruled by the host 49ers (12-11) 8-0 in five innings.
SDSU was outhit 11-5 in the game, and couldn’t get a run across the plate despite having the leadoff runner reach in four of the five innings.
San Diego State had a pair of runners reach in the second when Langlet singled and Celis later walked. LBSU pitcher Kelly White, however, struck out Thies looking to get out of the jam.
Long Beach State got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second on a double by Taylor Rowland that scored Maddy Ruffin.
In the third, Adams reached on a two-out single up the middle and stole second. Thompson followed with a single up the middle, but Adams was thrown out at the plate by Ruffin in center field.
The 49ers then broke open the close game with four runs in the bottom of the third on four hits, two wild pitches, a walk and a fielding error.
LBSU added to its lead in the fourth, scoring three runs on an RBI groundout by Justine Briones and a two-run triple by Ruffin.
The Aztecs tried to extend the game in the fifth when Celis walked and moved to second on a Thies groundout. Long Beach State’s White (6-5), however, struck out Kiera Wright swinging and got Sara Lillie to foul out to shortstop Kylie Cox to complete the run-rule victory.
Celis reached base twice for SDSU with a pair of walks.
Hannah Johnson took the loss after allowing three runs on six hits over 2 1/3 innings, striking out one. Karina Faasisila relieved Johnson (5-2) in the third, but did not record an out, while yielding two runs on two hits and a walk. Moreno pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, scattering three runs on three hits and two walks, while striking out one.
THE NOTE
San Diego State fell to 12-6 on the season when playing two games on the same day.
THE NOTE II
With the 5-3 loss to No. 22/22 UCF, the Aztecs dropped to 0-4 on the season against top 25 teams.
STAT OF THE DAY
Despite the two losses, SDSU is 17-11 (.607) entering Mountain West play after entering 2019 conference play with a 12-13 (.480) record and 2018 league action with a 9-17 (.346) mark.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs meet the USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) in an exhibition game at approximately 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Sportsplex USA Santee, before beginning Mountain West play at home next weekend against Colorado State.
Game 1: No. 22/22 UCF 5, San Diego State 3
UCF (19-5)
San Diego State 000 003 0 -- 3 3 0
White and Ornelas; Balint, Moreno (6) and Langlet
W - White, 10-1; L - Balint, 8-5
HR: UCF, Doherty (2); San Diego State, Adams (1)
Game 2: Long Beach State 8, San Diego State 0 (5 innings)
San Diego State (17-11) 000 00 -- 0 5 1
Long Beach State (12-11) 014 3x -- 8 11 1
Johnson, Faasisila (3), Moreno (3) and Thies; White and Lockman, Briones (4)
W - White, 6-5; L - Johnson, 5-2
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