SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State opened Mountain West play with a doubleheader sweep over Colorado State Saturday afternoon at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (18-10, 2-0 MW) downed the Rams (8-15, 0-2 MW), 6-2, in the first game before posting a 2-0 shutout in the nightcap.
In the opener, Mac Barbara drove in four runs and was a triple short of the cycle, AJ Murphy had a two-run homer and Bella Espinoza was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate in SDSU's 6-2 triumph.
San Diego State opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when Espinoza singled, stole second and scored on a single up the middle by Barbara.
The Aztecs added to their lead in the third when Barbara's one-out double knocked in Espinoza and Alexa Schultz. Elianna Reyes replaced Barbara at second base before Murphy homered over the left-field wall. It was her second home run of the season.
The 1-2 pitching punch of Maggie Balint and Dee Hernandez retired the first 12 batters they faced before Danielle Serna led off the top of the fifth with a home run off Hernandez (4-3).
Barbara got the run back for SDSU in the bottom of the fifth with a solo homer well over the right-field fence. It was her 11th of the year.
CSU scored its final run in the seventh when Ashley York led off with a triple, one of its two hits in the game, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Hailey Smith.
Espinoza was 4-for-4 with two runs and two stolen bases, while Barbara was 3-for-3 with four RBIs as San Diego State outhit Colorado State, 10-2.
Balint started the game and tossed three perfect innings with four strikeouts. Hernandez allowed two runs on two hits over four innings of relief, striking out three to pick up the win.
In the nightcap, the Aztecs scored two early runs and rode Balint's (9-4) arm in a 2-0 victory.
In the bottom of the first, Espinoza led off with a walk and moved to second on a Jillian Celis groundout. After Schultz flied out and Barbara was intentionally walked, Murphy singled to right field to score Espinoza.
SDSU scored again in the second as Taylor Adams drew a four-pitch walk, advanced to third on a a sacrifice bunt by Danielle Romanello and a flyout by Shaylan Whatman, and reached home on a Ram error.
San Diego State left eight on base in the game, but luckily had Balint in the circle. The right-hander allowed just three hits and a walk, while striking out seven for her second complete game shutout of the season.
The Rams got a pair of singles in the second but were left stranded when Balint got Kaitlyn Cook to ground out to Adams at first. Serna reached on a one-out throwing error in the fourth, Ashley York on a one-out single in the sixth and Gracie Taylor on a one-out walk in the seventh, but in each instance Balint was able to get out of innings with the shutout intact.
Murphy singled and walked, while Barbara was 1-for-1 with the triple she missed for the cycle in the opener and two intentional walks.
THE NOTE
The Aztecs are 2-0 for the first time in Mountain West play since starting 6-0 in 2015.
THE NOTE II
DP Mac Barbara has 11 of SDSU's 22 home runs this season, which are tied with Patrice Jackson (2012) for the ninth most in San Diego State single-season history.
STAT OF THE DAY
In the second game, the Aztecs shut out CSU for the first time in the series since May 5, 2013. SDSU had given up at least one run to Colorado State in the 22 games in between its last shutout.
UP NEXT
San Diego State looks for the weekend sweep over the Rams in the series finale at 11 a.m. PT Sunday.
Game 1: San Diego State 6, Colorado State 2
Colorado State 000 010 1 -- 2 2 0
San Diego State 104 010 x -- 6 10 0
Cabral, Nannen (5) and McGuffin, Bohlender (6); Balint, Hernandez (4) and Romanello
W - Hernandez, 4-3; L - Cabral, 2-4
HR: Colorado State, Serna (4); San Diego State, Murphy (2), Barbara (11)
Game 2: San Diego State 2, Colorado State 0
Colorado State (8-15, 0-2 MW) 000 000 0 -- 0 3 1
San Diego State (18-10, 2-0 MW) 110 000 x -- 2 2 1
Hornbuckle and Bohlender; Balint and Romanello
W - Balint, 9-4; L - Hornbuckle, 1-6
SDSU Softball Sweeps Colorado State on Saturday
