CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. -- The San Diego State softball team battled back from a tough 7-6, nine-inning loss to No. 18/15 Northwestern with a 7-5 victory over No. 5/5 Washington on the second day of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Friday night at Big League Dreams Cathedral City.
In the nightcap, the Aztecs (11-4) were trailing, 5-4, after four innings but exploded with a three-run top of the sixth. SDSU, which scored all three runs with two outs, tied it when Macey Keester scored on a passed ball with the bases loaded. Danielle Romanello later scored Jillian Celis and Alexa Schultz with a bases-loaded double.
Dee Dee Hernandez replaced Dani Martinez in the sixth and tossed a perfect two innings of relief, striking out three en route to her third save of the season.
San Diego State jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third when a double by Celis plated Audrey Kull and Makena Brocki. Celis later scored on a fielder's choice by Mac Barbara.
The Huskies (9-2) responded in the bottom of the third with a grand slam by Baylee Klingler.
The Aztecs tied it in the fourth on a Celis single that scored AJ Murphy.
UW came right back in the bottom half on a solo home run by Kelley Lynch.
SDSU, however, came up with the big sixth inning to take a lead it would not relinquish.
Celis was 2-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and two runs to pace San Diego State, which outhit Washington, 9-5, in the game. Barbara had two hits and a walk, and Brocki added two hits.
Martinez (3-1) picked up the win in the circle after allowing one run on one hit and two walks over 2 2/3 innings of relief, while recording one strikeout. Allie Light started the game and gave up four runs on four hits over 2 1/ innings, striking out four.
In the opener, SDSU battled the Wildcats (9-2), but came up short, 7-6, in nine innings. San Diego State had leads of 3-1, 5-4 and 6-5 but couldn't hold off a game NU squad.
Nikki Cuchran's two-out home run got Northwestern on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first.
The Aztecs responded with three runs in the top of the fourth. Jessica Cordola's pinch-hit singled plated Taylor Adams. Brocki then followed with her first career home run well over the center-field fence.
The Wildcats answered in the bottom of the fourth with three runs, including a solo homer by Rachel Lewis, an RBI double by Cuchran and an RBI single by Hannah Cady.
SDSU came right back in the fifth with a two-run home run by Barbara, her sixth of the young season.
A Cuchran double in the sixth scored Maeve Nelson to tie the game at 5-5.
San Diego State took back its lead in the seventh as a Romanello double knocked in Elianna Reyes. The Aztecs appeared to score on the play before when Barbara singled up the middle, but Celis was called out at the plate on a throw from the NU center fielder.
SDSU tried to close the door in the bottom of the seventh when it overcame a leadoff double, which had a runner quickly on third following a groundout. Following an intentional walk, Maggie Balint got Jordyn Rudd to pop up to Celis at second base. Balint (4-3), however, walked Nelson and Angela Zedak with the bases loaded to allow Northwestern to tie it up at 6-6. Balint got Cuchran to fly out to left field to move on to extra innings.
Neither team was able to score in the eighth with the international tiebreaker in effect and San Diego State failed to score once again in the ninth. Rudd, however, clinched the walk-off win with a one-out single through the right side to plate Grace Nieto.
Celis had three hits and a walk for the Aztecs, who outhit the Wildcats, 10-8, in the game. Barbara added two hits, two RBIs and a run, and Brocki had her two-run home run and walked.
Balint took the loss after allowing six runs (five earned) on five hits and five walks over 5 1/3 innings, while striking out six. Hernandez (2.1 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 K) and Light (0.2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K) also pitched in relief for SDSU.
THE NOTE
San Diego State improved to 9-1 on the season when outhitting its opponent.
THE NOTE II
LHP Dee Dee Hernandez allowed her first walk of the season in the opener against No. 18/15 Northwestern. Her first walk came on the 81st batter she faced this year.
STAT OF THE DAY
The Aztecs have now won two of their last three meetings against top-5 schools, including a 4-0 win over No. 5/6 Washington last Feb. 26 and tonight's 7-5 win over No. 5/5 Washington.
UP NEXT
SDSU wraps up its play in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with a Saturday game against No. 16/19 Missouri at 9:30 a.m. PT.
Game 1: No. 18/15 Northwestern 7, San Diego State 6
San Diego State 000 320 100 -- 6 10 0
Northwestern (9-2) 010 301 101 -- 7 8 2
Balint, Hernandez (4), Light (6), Balint (7) and Romanello; Boyd, Supple (5), Dvorak (6), Williams (8) and Rudd
W - Williams, 6-1; L - Balint, 4-3
HR: San Diego State, Brocki (1), Barbara (6); Northwestern, Cuchran (1), Lewis (3)
Game 2: San Diego State 7, No. 5/5 Washington 5
San Diego State (11-4) 003 103 0 -- 7 9 0
Washington (9-2) 004 100 0 -- 5 5 1
Light, Martinez (3), Hernandez (6) and Barbara, Romanello (5); Willis, Nelson (3), Lynch (6), Moore (6) and Cummings
W - Martinez, 3-1; L - Lynch, 1-1; SV - Hernandez, 3
HR: Washington, Klingler, Lynch.
Softball Splits Against Nationally Ranked Teams
