COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- San Diego State softball's Bella Espinoza (Huntington Beach, Calif.) has been named the Mountain West Freshman of the Week for the fourth time this season, the league announced Tuesday.
Espinoza helped the Aztecs (37-14) to a series win at New Mexico last weekend, going 4-for-10 (.400) with four RBIs, two runs and a stolen base. Espinoza had at least one hit in all three games and recorded a putout in her only fielding chance in right field.
Espinoza had a career-high three RBIs in SDSU's 7-1 win on Thursday, first coming through with a two-run single with the bases loaded and later adding a fielder's choice RBI. Espinoza followed with a 2-for-2 outing, an RBI and two runs in San Diego State's 12-3, five-inning victory on Friday. Espinoza finished her weekend with a single and stolen base in the Aztecs' 4-3 loss on Saturday.
Espinoza, who was named a first-team all-Mountain West selection last week, is batting .388 (62-for-160) with team highs of 34 runs and 13 stolen bases (tied). Espinoza is tied for first in the MW in hits (62), fourth in batting average (.388) and tied for fifth in stolen base (13). Among the SDSU single-season leaders, she is tied for third in singles (61) and 10th in batting average (.388). Among San Diego State true freshmen all-time, Espinoza is first in singles (61), second in batting average (.388), tied for second in hits (62), third in runs (34) and fifth in stolen bases (13).
The Aztecs will play No. 20/18 LSU (34-21) in the NCAA Tempe Regional at 5 p.m. PT Friday in Tempe, Arizona, on the campus of No. 8/4 Arizona State (39-9), the tournament's No. 8 overall seed. Cal State Fullerton (36-20) is the other team in the double-elimination regional.