SALT LAKE CITY -- AJ Murphy hit a go-ahead two-run double in the top of the fourth inning and the 1-2 pitching duo of Allie Light and Dee Dee Hernandez allowed just five hits against the fourth-best hitting team in the country to lift the San Diego State softball team to a 4-3 win at the No. 15 overall seed Utah in the opener of the NCAA Salt Lake City Regional on Friday night. The Aztecs (39-15) now lead the best-of-three series with the Utes (40-14) and can clinch a berth in the Women's College World Series with a win at 3 p.m. MT (2 p.m. PT) Saturday.
SDSU outhit Utah, 9-5, in a game that was played in front of a Dumke Family Softball Stadium-record 2,723 fans.
Down by a 3-2 score after three innings, San Diego State's Cali Decker walked and was replaced by Elianna Reyes. Makena Brocki followed with a bloop single to right-center field to move Reyes to third. Murphy then took the first pitch she saw off the right-field wall for a double to score both runners. Murphy, however, was thrown out at third trying for the triple. The Aztecs loaded the bases still with two outs on three straight singles by Alexis Otero, Macey Keester and Bella Espinoza, but Utah pitcher Mariah Lopez (21-6) struck out Mac Barbara swinging to keep SDSU to just two runs in the inning.
Light (15-6) retired the Utes in order in the fourth before giving way to Hernandez. Light picked up the win after allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits and no walks over four innings, while striking out two. Hernandez gave up three hits and no walks over the final three innings of relief, striking out two to pick up her sixth save of the season, one off Light's school-record of seven set this year.
SDSU jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first, taking advantage of a pair of Utah errors. The second miscue - a throwing error by Lopez with two outs and Brocki at the plate - allowed Mac Barbara and Jillian Celis to score.
The Utes tied it in the bottom of the second inning, scoring first on a San Diego State throwing error and then later when Haley Denning's bunt single scored Abby Dayton from third. Two of the three runs in the inning were unearned against Light.
The Aztecs loaded the bases once again in the fifth with two outs on a Brocki single, Murphy walk and Jade Ignacio pinch-hit walk. Lopez, however, struck out Otero swinging to get out of another jam.
Utah got one-out singles in the sixth and seventh but couldn't get across the tying run.
Murphy finished 1-for-2 with two RBIs and two walks, while Brocki, Espinoza and Keester added two hits apiece. Barbara and Otero also each reached twice with a single and a walk.
THE NOTE
SDSU won its first NCAA tournament road game in program history. San Diego State is now 1-10 all-time in NCAA tournament road games (the Aztecs are 21-14 in neutral NCAA tourney games).
THE NOTE II
SDSU won its 51st straight game when leading after six innings (29-0 this year).
STAT OF THE DAY
San Diego State became the first team to win its debut NCAA Super Regional game since James Madison in 2016.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs will look to clinch a spot in the Women's College World Series Saturday when they meet Utah at 3 p.m. MT (2 p.m. PT). The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
San Diego State 4, No. 15 Utah 3
San Diego State (39-15) 200 200 0 -- 4 9 2
Utah (40-14) 030 000 0 -- 3 5 2
Light, Hernandez (5) and Decker; Lopez and Lundberg
W - Light, 15-6; L - Lopez, 21-6; SV - Hernandez, 6
2023 NCAA Division I Softball Championship
Super Regionals - Best-of-Three Series
Dumke Family Softball Stadium - Salt Lake City, Utah
Friday, May 26, 2023
Game 1: San Diego State 4, No. 17/14 [15] Utah 3
Saturday, May 27, 2023
Game 2, 3 p.m. MT (2 p.m. PT): San Diego State at No. 17/14 [15] Utah
Sunday, May 28, 2023
*Game 3, TBA: San Diego State at No. 17/14 Utah [15] Utah (* if necessary)
Aztecs Edge No. 15 Utah, 4-3, at NCAA Super Regionals
