(Photo Courtesy of SDSU Athletics)
Game 1: San Diego State 12, South Dakota 2 (5 inn.) | video replay
Game 2: San Diego State 7, No. 23/25 California 3
SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State softball team combined for 19 runs and 22 hits in a doubleheader sweep of South Dakota and No. 23/25 California Friday night at the 24th annual Campbell/Cartier Classic at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (7-1) began the night with a 12-2, five-inning win over the Coyotes (3-2) and ended it with a 7-3 triumph over the Golden Bears (4-2).
SDSU (7-1), which has won five consecutive games, is off to its best start since 2010 (7-1) and have matched its best start since the 2005 squad started 9-0.
In the opener, San Diego State broke a 1-1 tie with six runs in the top of the fourth inning and five more in the fifth en route to the run-rule 12-2 victory.
Senior Dominique Dinner (Monterey, Calif.) led the way for the Aztecs, who outhit USD, 11-6, falling a homer short of the cycle. Dinner, who didn’t have an extra-base hit in her previous 60 career collegiate at-bats, doubled in the second, tripled in the fourth and singled in the fifth. She finished with two RBIs, two runs and two stolen bases.
Sophomore Leia Ruiz (Chino, Calif.) had two hits, including her first career triple (and extra-base hit), two RBIs and two runs, while freshman Jaylene Ignacio (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino HS) singled twice and added an RBI and a run scored.
Freshman Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.), meanwhile, had a double, three RBIs and two runs, junior Hayley Miles (Antelope, Calif.) had a hit, RBI and two runs, and sophomore Monica Downey (San Diego/Madison HS) added an RBI, two runs, a walk and a stolen base.
Freshman Erica Romero (Corona, Calif.) (1-1) picked up her first career win in the circle after allowing two runs on six hits (five singles) over five innings. She struck out four without issuing a walk.
In the nightcap, the Aztecs took a 5-0 lead through four innings and never looked back en route to a 7-3 victory over Cal. The win snapped a 12-game losing streak for SDSU against nationally ranked schools.
San Diego State got things going in the bottom of the first as senior Patrice Jackson (Kansas City, Mo.) drew a two-out walk and scored when Miles’ single was misplayed by the California right fielder. Miles, who got all the way to third on the error, then scored when Cable took the first pitch she saw to left field for the RBI single.
After stranding three runners in the second, the Aztecs loaded them again in the third on singles by Cable and sophomore Kayla Bufardeci (Castro Valley, Calif.), and a walk by freshman Frankie Orlando (Roseville, Calif.). Junior Jacki Campa (La Verne, Calif.), senior Stefani Polonia (Pico Rivera, Calif.) and sophomore Victoria Kobold (Concord, Calif.) were each called upon as pinch runners before junior Kaitlin Connors (San Diego/La Costa Canyon HS) cleared them with a double to left-center field.
The Bears finally got on the scoreboard in the fifth on a two-run homer by Danielle Henderson, but SDSU responded with two runs in the sixth. Dinner led off with a single and stole second, which set up Jackson’s RBI single to left field. Miles followed with a single up the middle to score Jackson, who had reached second on the throw home on the previous play.
Cal got one run back in the seventh as Victoria Jones singled up the middle to score Kylie Reed from second base. The game ended on the same play, however, as Henderson was thrown out at third by San Diego State center fielder Miles.
Connors reached on all three plate appearances, going 2-for-2 with the double, three RBIs and being hit by a pitch, while three others – Miles (RBI, R), Cable (RBI) and Bufardeci also contributed two hits apiece. Jackson added a single, RBI, two runs and two walks. On the season, Jackson has been walked nine times in 29 plate appearances.
Sophomore Danielle O’Toole (Upland, Calif.) remained unbeaten in the circle at 6-0 after scattering three runs on nine hits and a walk over seven innings. She struck out eight.
The Aztecs continue their play in the Campbell/Cartier Classic at 2 p.m. PT Saturday against Texas State.
