May 11, 2006

Final Stats

LAS VEGAS - In game four of the Mountain West Softball Tournament, the No. 1 seed San Diego State (31-11) defeated the No. 4 seed UNLV (25-36) 6-0 as the Aztecs scored four first-inning runs and never looked back in advancing. With the victory the Aztecs move on to the semifinals Friday, May 12 at 7 p.m. (PDT) against the winner of No. 2 BYU/No. 5 Colorado State game. The Rebels will play No. 6 New Mexico in elimination action on Friday at 11:30 a.m.

SDSU jumped out to an early lead in the opening inning, capitalizing on a pair of Rebel errors that prolonged the frame and allowed the Aztecs to score four runs for a 4-0 lead.

After the first UNLV error put runners on first and third, Monica Alnes was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with two outs. Taryin Casillas followed with a single that scored the first run of the game and kept the bases loaded. Melissa Owens then hit a ground ball that UNLV second baseman Caitlyn Paus misplayed, allowing the Aztecs to score another run for a 2-0 lead. Chrissie Markham capped the rally with a two-run single that pushed the lead to 4-0, with three of the four runs in the inning unearned.

The four runs was all that SDSU starting pitcher Christina Ross would need, as she allowed just three hits in tossing a complete-game shutout to improve to 15-7 on the year. Ross struck out three and walked two batters in the win. SDSU pushed single runs across the plate in the fourth and fifth innings to cap the scoring.

UNLV starting pitcher Christie Robinson (10-12) fell victim to the errors, giving up six runs with only two of them being earned, in tossing the complete game. She struck out one and walked one, giving up nine hits in the loss.