SAN JOSE, Calif. -- San Diego State finished off a series sweep over San Jose State with an 8-3 victory Sunday afternoon at Spartan Softball Stadium. It was the sixth consecutive win for the Aztecs (33-12), who lead the Mountain West standings by three games with six to go at 16-2.
Mac Barbara, Makena Brocki and AJ Murphy had three hits to pace SDSU, which outhit the Spartans (20-26, 6-15 MW), 14-7, in the game. Barbara homered, doubled and had three RBIs, while Brocki was 3-for-3 with three RBIs, two runs and a double. Murphy was 3-for-4 with a run scored.
Bella Espinoza and Danielle Romanello added two hits apiece for San Diego State, which outhit SJSU, 36-16, in the series sweep.
Barbara got things going for the Aztecs with a leadoff home run. It was her 14th homer of the season and first leadoff home run for SDSU this year. It was also the fourth straight game that San Diego State scored in the first inning.
Barbara came through again in the second with a two-out double to score Brocki.
The Aztecs got another run in the third when an Alexa Schultz groundout plated Romanello.
In the fourth, Barbara drove in her third run of the game when her single scored Brocki. Jillian Celis followed with a groundout to score Espinoza from third base and put SDSU up, 5-0.
San Jose State got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth when Janessa Ullegue's two-out triple scored Jules Ronquillo.
San Diego State got back to work in the seventh after Elianna Reyes was called out in a close play at the plate. Nicole Siess followed to load the bases with two outs before Brocki cleared them with a double to center field.
The Spartans, however, would not go down quietly on their Senior Day. SJSU quickly loaded the bases with three consecutive singles off Aztec relief pitcher Dee Dee Hernandez. It appeared the left-hander was going to get out of the jam when she struck out Jessica Giacoma and Lilly Meek swinging in back-to-back plate appearances. Alyssa Graham, however, blooped a single into the outfield to score a pair of runners. Hernandez then struck out Karizma Bergesen swinging to end the game.
Maggie Balint picked up the win after allowing one run on three hits and a walk over six innings, while striking out 10. Hernandez gave up two runs on four hits in the seventh but struck out three.
THE NOTE
With three RBIs today, DP Mac Barbara became just the third SDSU player with at least 50 RBIs in a season. Barbara, who has reached base safely in 39 consecutive games (longest streak in the country), has 52 this year, only trailing Lorena Bauer (67 in 2015) and Jenavee Peres (60 in 2017) for the most in San Diego State single-season history.
THE NOTE II
With 10 strikeouts today, RHP Maggie Balint recorded her 12th double-digit strikeout game of the season in her 23rd start. Balint's 232 strikeouts on the year only trail Samantha Beasley (354 in 2010) and Christina Ross (275 in 2008) for the most in Aztec single-season history. Balint, however, currently owns the school season record for the most strikeouts per seven innings (10.73 to Beasley's 10.32).
STAT OF THE DAY
SDSU improved to 10-1 on the road this season. San Diego State's .909 road winning percentage is the third best in the country behind Florida State (16-1) and Oklahoma (12-1).
UP NEXT
The Aztecs play host to Utah State for a weekend series, highlighted by Senior Day on Sunday. SDSU and the Aggies are scheduled for 6 p.m. PT Friday, 4 p.m. PT Saturday and noon PT Sunday.
San Diego State 8, San Jose State 3
San Diego State (33-12, 16-2 MW) 111 200 3 -- 8 14 0
San Jose State (20-26, 6-15 MW) 000 001 2 -- 3 7 1
Balint, Hernandez (7) and Romanello; Bowman, Ullegue (5) and Luna
W - Balint, 15-5; L - Bowman, 2-10
HR: Barbara (14)
Aztecs Sweeps San Jose State with 8-3 Victory
