FRESNO, Calif. -- The San Diego State softball team finished off a series sweep over defending Mountain West champion Fresno State with a 4-2 victory Sunday afternoon at Margie Wright Diamond. The Aztecs (22-10) have won eight consecutive games and are 6-0 in MW play for the first time since 2015.
SDSU scored the first four runs of the game and held back a late Bulldog (6-24, 0-6 MW) rally.
San Diego State quickly loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first inning on a Jillian Celis double and consecutive walks by Alexa Schultz and Mac Barbara. Jessica Cordola's sacrifice fly to left fielder Keahilele Mattson scored Celis. Schultz also scored on the play on an errant Mattson throw.
Mattson tried for redeem herself in the bottom of the first with a one-out double. She later moved to third on passed ball, but Aztec starting pitcher Dee Dee Hernandez struck out Kacey Hvitved looking to get out of the jam.
SDSU added to its lead in the fourth as Makena Brocki singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Taylor Adams and to third on a Bella Espinoza single. Celis followed with a single to score Brocki. Schultz then singled up the middle on the first pitch she saw to plate Espinoza to make it a 4-0 San Diego State advantage.
Hernandez (5-3) was in cruise control until the bottom of the seventh inning. Vanessa Hernandez led off with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Hvitved. Hernandez struck out Alesia Denby swinging and was just one out away from her first career complete game shutout, but Bailey Williams doubled and then scored on an Avery Lawley single to halve the Aztec lead. Maggie Balint relieved Hernandez in the circle and got Mackenna Steele to ground out to Brocki at third base to end the game.
Hernandez allowed two runs on five hits over 6 2/3 innings, while striking out six. Balint picked up the save in her second straight game and now has three on the season.
Brocki and Celis had two hits apiece to pace SDSU while Schultz was 1-for-2 with two walks. Mac Barbara walked twice and has reached base safely in 26 consecutive games.
THE NOTE
San Diego State's eight-game winning streak is its longest since winning a school-record 13 straight games from March 12-April 6, 2013. That stretch was one of four times the Aztecs have won 13 consecutive games.
THE NOTE II
SDSU swept a three-game series at Fresno State for the first time in program history. San Diego State has now swept the Bulldogs twice overall in program history (also 2019 at home).
STAT OF THE DAY
The Aztecs became just the second team to sweep a three-game conference series at Fresno State since at least the 1997 season (available records only go back until 1997).
UP NEXT
SDSU welcomes Nevada to SDSU Softball Stadium for a weekend series with games set for 6 p.m. PT Friday, 4 p.m. PT Saturday and noon PT Sunday.
San Diego State 4, Fresno State 2
San Diego State (22-10, 6-0 MW) 200 200 0 -- 4 7 0
Fresno State (6-24, 0-6 MW) 000 000 2 -- 2 5 3
Hernandez, Balint (7) and Barbara; Dixon and Lawley
W - Hernandez, 5-3; L - Dixon, 3-5; SV - Balint, 3
Softball Completes Series Sweep with 4-2 Win at FS
