San Diego State Begins 2019 Season at Grand Canyon Kickoff Tournament
The San Diego State softball team kicks off its 2019 slate with five games over the weekend at the Grand Canyon University's Kickoff Tournament in Phoenix.
The Aztecs open their schedule Friday with games against Syracuse (9:30 a.m. MT) and Charlotte (noon MT). SDSU also plays Charlotte (11:30 a.m. MT) and Grand Canyon (4:30 p.m. MT) on Saturday, and vs. No. 4/4 Oklahoma at 9 a.m. MT Sunday.
San Diego State returns its top five hitters from a year ago in second baseman Katie Byrd (.305, 14 R, 23 RBI), third baseman Kelsey Munoz (.305), catcher Molly Sturdivant (.275, 5 HR, 26 RBI), first baseman Taylor Adams (.268, 12 R, 13 RBI) and shortstop Shelby Thompson (.267, 6 HR, 27 R), along with its top-two base stealers - Aris Metcalfe (12) and Kiera Wright (11). Right-hander Marissa Moreno (6-16, 3.29 ERA, .275 opp. avg.) figures to lead the Aztec pitching staff.
SDSU has historically played well in season-opening games under 23rd-year head coach Kathy Van Wyk. The Aztecs have won five of six season-opening games, 16 of their last 18 season-openers and 19 of the 22 lid-lifters in head coach Kathy Van Wyk's 22-year tenure. Since records were first kept in 1980, the Aztecs are 28-11 (.718) in their opening games.
SDSU is coming off a 20-31 season in 2018, its first losing campaign since 2005. San Diego State was 11-13 in MW play for sixth place, winning six of its final eight games, including two of the final three series.
The Aztecs were picked to finish fifth in the Mountain West in a preseason poll voted on by the league's nine head coaches in late-January. SDSU has won a league-record seven MW regular-season titles.
Softball Begins 2019 at Grand Canyon Univ. Tourney
