RENO, Nev. – After falling in Thursday’s series opener at Nevada, the San Diego State softball team was looking to get back in the win column. SDSU scored twice in the top of the third inning to take an early lead, but the Wolf Pack responded with a three-run home run in the bottom half to go up 3-2. Two more home runs in the bottom of the sixth provided insurance for Nevada as they held on to win 5-2.
San Diego State (21-12, 5-3 Mountain West) starting pitcher Ava Schaffel allowed a leadoff walk but responded by striking out Aaliyah Jenkins and inducing an inning-ending double play to keep the Wolf Pack (26-8, 4-1 MW) off the board.
In the second, Schaffel issued a pair of walks but didn’t allow any runs to score.
With one away in the top of the third inning, Quinn Waiki homered to left field, the second homer of her collegiate career. One batter later, Bella Espinoza reached on a throwing error by Nevada third baseman Haley Painter. Cali Decker followed her with a double into the gap in left center, scoring Espinoza while Decker advanced to third base on the throw. The inning ended with Decker stranded on third. Madison Clark reached on a bunt single before Saige Alfaro walked to start the bottom of the inning, It ended Schaffel’s day and Dee Dee Hernandez came in. Jenkins homered to left center to put the Wolf Pack up 3-2. The next four hitters alternated between pop ups and singles before Cali Deker caught Tatum Maytorena stealing second to end the frame.
Hernandez would go on to sit down the Wolf Pack in order in both the fourth and fifth innings. In the top of the fifth, Waiki and Decker each walked but neither was able to get any further than second base.
Jade Ignacio led off with a single in the sixth inning for SDSU and moved up to second on a ground ball but could not get to third. Maya Larsen and Maytorena began the bottom of the frame with consecutive homers to extend Nevada’s lead to 5-2. Hernandez retired the next three hitters in order to end the frame.
Waiki walked to open the seventh inning, and Decker also walked in the inning, but the Aztecs were unable to take advantage. Angie Yellen hit a fly ball deep to center field but the ball fell into Bailie Clark’s glove for the final out.
THE NOTE
Friday marked the first time that the Aztecs allowed more than two home runs in a game since the second game of the 2023 Salt Lake City Super Regional in the NCAA Tournament on May 27, 2023, at No. 17/14 Utah.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs and Wolf Pack will conclude this series at 12 p.m. on Saturday. SDSU will come back to America’s Finest City for a doubleheader on Wednesday against Fresno State with games scheduled for 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. All three games will appear on the Mountain West Network.
Nevada 5, San Diego State 2
San Diego State (21-12, 5-3) 002 000 0 – 2 3 0
Nevada (26-8, 4-1) 003 002 X – 5 6 2
W – Bumiller, 5-1; L – Hernandez, 6-5; S – Berlingeri, 2
HR: Waiki, SDSU (2); Jenkins, NEV (8); Larsen, NEV (3); Maytorena, NEV (2)