March 2, 2008

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SAN DIEGO - The No. 20/21 San Diego State softball team defeated Oregon, 3-2, Sunday afternoon on the final day of the San Diego Classic I at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs improved to 16-5 with the win, their best start in school history, while the Ducks fell to 13-9.

SDSU only managed four hits in the contest, but used its speed and smart baserunning skills to score all three of its runs in the bottom of the third inning.

It was Oregon who got on the scoreboard first when Lovena Chaput's two-out single in the first plated Sari Jane Jenkins from second base.

In the third, junior Christine Kulick (Alison Viejo, Calif.) and sophomore Lindsey Marquez (Tustin, Calif.) each singled and advanced a base on sophomore Brittany Knudsen's (San Diego, Calif./Escondido HS) sacrifice bunt. Senior Tamani Wells (Concord, Calif.) then hit a hard shot to the Oregon shortstop, who tried to throw out a hard-charging Kulick at the plate. Kulick, however, beat the throw home to tie the score at 1-1.

Two batters later, junior Erin Floros (San Diego, Calif./Mt. Carmel HS) laced a two-run single to right to score Marquez easily. Wells also scored after she was able to dodge the tag of the Duck catcher, giving San Diego State a 3-1 lead.

Kayleen Hudson brought Oregon to within a run after hitting a solo home run over the left field fence in the fourth.

But Aztec senior pitcher Christina Ross (Santa Clarita, Calif.) held the Ducks scoreless the rest of the way to give SDSU its 10th victory this season against a 2007 NCAA tournament team. Ross (10-4) allowed two runs on eight hits over seven innings. She also had five strikeouts against just one walk.

San Diego State plays host to Loyola-Chicago at 7 p.m. Wednesday.