ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The San Diego State softball team (19-15, 4-5 Mountain West) picked up the win in its series finale against New Mexico (15-19, 3-6 MW) on Sunday by a 10-3 score.
For SDSU in the top of the first inning, Quinn Waiki walked. The Lobos went on top in the bottom of the inning. Briana Williams began the game by striking out when she made contact with a pitch but was out of the box. Following a walk of DeNae Vasquez-Dickson, Miracle McKenzie hit a two-run home run. SDSU starter Faith Jordan ended up striking out Allie Williams and Melanie Macias to end the inning.
Ava Schaffel entered the circle in the second inning and retired the side in order with a strikeout.
In the third inning, the Aztecs got on the scoreboard. Jayleen Hernandez led off with a single and was bunted into scoring position by Lala Macario. Kaila Pollard drove her in with a single through the right side. Schaffel had another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the frame, finishing it off with a strikeout of Gabrielle Briones.
San Diego State pulled ahead in the fourth inning. On the second pitch of the inning, Olivia Gigante hit a towering game-tying home run out to left field. The next hitter, Jazmin Williams, tripled to right field. Following a pitching change, Williams scored on a ground ball off the bat of Angie Yellen. Once again, Schaffel held the Lobos hitless in the bottom of the inning.
Pollard continued her hot hitting with a homer to center field with two outs in the fifth to add an important insurance run for San Diego State. Waiki followed her with a triple but was stranded on third base. New Mexico went three up, three down in the latter half against Schaffel.
The Aztecs blew the game open in the sixth. Gigante led off with a single and Yellen singled as well. Kiara Cisneros drove in a run with another single before Macario walked to load the bases for Pollard. She came through with a bases-clearing triple into the gap in right center field to extend the SDSU lead to 8-2. In the bottom of the inning, McKenzie led off with a walk. Schaffel got two quick outs with the runner still at first base. Following a walk, Jewels Hanawahine skied an RBI double to right field, but Pollard threw out Jessica DeLeon trying to score from second base on the play to end the inning.
SDSU continued to add on in the seventh inning. Gigante walked and moved up to third base on a Williams double. Yellen went the other way through the right side of the infield to drive in both runners and make it 10-3 San Diego State. The New Mexico bats offered no resistance to Schaffel in the seventh as she finished off the Lobos for the win.
THE NOTE I
This was the 14th three-game series played between the two teams all-time and just the second won by New Mexico. The Lobos also won two of three games in 2018. SDSU swept six of its 12 series wins.
THE NOTE II
Going back to last season, San Diego State has now won the third game of its last eight Mountain West series.
UP NEXT
San Diego State returns home for a three-game series against Utah State next weekend. The games are scheduled for 6 p.m. PT on Thursday and Friday and noon on Saturday. The games on Thursday and Saturday will be broadcast on Mountain West Network and Saturday is Aztec Kids Club Day featuring free children’s activities including a balloon artist and face painter.
San Diego State 10, New Mexico 3
San Diego State (19-15, 4-5) 001 214 2 – 10 12 0
New Mexico (15-19, 3-6) 200 001 0 – 3 5 0
W – Schaffel, 2-0; L – Guest, 5-7
HR: McKenzie, UNM (13); Gigante, SDSU (8); Pollard, SDSU (3)