After falling 3-0 to Fresno State on Thursday, the San Diego State softball team won two elimination games on Friday in the Mountain West Tournament to earn a rematch with the Bulldogs on Saturday for the tournament championship.
The Aztecs needed to beat Fresno State twice to come out on top. In the first game, Julie Holcomb hit a two-run triple to center field in the third inning and scored on a bunt while Cece Cellura and Dee Dee Hernandez limited the Bulldogs to one run in the sixth inning for a 3-1 win to force a winner-take-all game. In the second game, Cali Decker hit an RBI double in the first inning and a two-run single in the second before Cellura and Hernandez once again held Fresno State to a run in the sixth as the Aztecs won the tournament championship with yet another 3-1 victory. Cellura was named Tournament MVP for her efforts while Decker and Holcomb were joined by Bella Espinoza on the All-Tournament Team
Cellura started the first game for San Diego State (37-17) and retired Fresno State (37-20) in order in the top of the first including a three-pitch strikeout to start the game. She pitched the first four innings for the Aztecs, allowing just a leadoff single in the fourth inning.
The Aztecs scored all three of their runs in the third inning. Jazmin Williams led off with a walk. Espinoza bunted her over but the throw by Lauren Almeida was wild, allowing Espinoza to reach while Williams went all the way to third. Espinoza stole second base with Holcomb at the plate. In center field, Taryn Irigoyen was playing in and Holcomb hit one over her head to score both runners while Holcomb hustled all the way to third. The next hitter was Decker, who attempted a bunt to score Holcomb. Madison Rey threw home from third base, but Holcomb raced home to beat the throw and make it a 3-0 game.
Hernandez took the circle in the fifth and pitched another perfect inning to keep the Bulldogs off the board. An inning later, Emma Martinez led off with a double for Fresno State and was bunted over to third base by Marissa Montelongo. Natalie Elias reached on a fielding error, allowing Martinez to score from third to provide the first run for the Bulldogs. Cellura came back in to pitch the remainder of the contest. The first hitter singled and both runners moved into scoring position with just one out. Irigoyen hit a grounder to third and the Aztecs retired the lead runner on a fielder’s choice for the second out. After a walk loaded the bases, Cellura got Kiara Sipe to line out to Ally Dueker in right field to end the frame.
In the seventh inning, Cellura struck out Alyssa Orr to start the inning. She coaxed a groundout from pinch hitter Kealani Nitta to bring the Aztecs within an out of a win. Martinez singled to bring the tying run to the plate, but Cellura responded by getting Montelongo to pop out to short to end the game.
In the second game, Cellura started again and began the game with another 1-2-3 frame. Espinoza walked to open the bottom of the inning and was bunted into scoring position by Holcomb. She stole third and trotted home when Decker doubled to left center field to score the opening run of the game. Angie Yellen followed her with another double to put two runners in scoring position, but the Aztecs were unable to bring them in.
Cellura worked around a leadoff single to pitch a scoreless second inning. Quinn Waiki led off with a double in the bottom of the inning and moved to third base on a groundout. Jazmin Williams hit a grounder to shortstop and Waiki was thrown out at home, but Williams reached first on the fielder’s choice. Espinoza got on base once again with a single to left before Holcomb walked to load the bases for Decker. She came through once more with a single down the right field line, scoring Williams and Holcomb to extend SDSU’s lead to three runs. Holcomb was caught trying to steal home while Decker tried to bait a throw to second base to end the inning.
In the third, Cellura threw another perfect inning. Jade Ignacio doubled in the latter half and pinch runner Ally Dueker moved up to third base with one out, but the Aztecs were unable to bring her in.
Cellura continued her excellence with another 1-2-3 fourth inning before she was lifted for Hernandez in the fifth. A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with two outs, but Hernandez got out of it without any runs by inducing a groundout back to the circle. Decker singled in the bottom of the inning and moved up to third on another Ignacio double but was stranded there.
The starting pitcher, Cellura, came back in in the sixth inning. The Bulldogs finally scored their second run of the day when Irigoyen doubled and was followed by an RBI single off the bat of Almeida. Cellura brought the Aztecs within three outs of a championship with a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning.
In the final inning, Cellura started out with a one-pitch groundout and a two-pitch flyout to bring the fans to their feet. Once again, Fresno State brought the tying run to the plate when Montelongo singled down the right field line on the first pitch she saw. After a ball to Elias, Cellura induced a groundout to Williams at second to wrap up the game and clinch the championship.
MOUNTAIN WEST ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Cece Cellura, San Diego State (MVP)
Cali Decker, San Diego State
Bella Espinoza, San Diego State
Julie Holcomb, San Diego State
Taryn Irigoyen, Fresno State
Serayah Neiss, Fresno State
Alyssa Orr, Fresno State
Haylee Engelbrecht, Nevada
Aaliyah Jenkins, Nevada
Mykenzie Hanna, Boise State
Brook Thompson, Boise State
THE NOTE
San Diego State earns it’s record 12th Mountain West championship and locks up its 15th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
THE NOTE II
The Aztecs, who were the first team to win consecutive Mountain West Tournaments after last season, have now won three straight. This marks the third time in conference history that one team has earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season. Brigham Young won three straight regular season titles from 2009-11 while the Aztecs followed them with a three-peat of their own from 2012-14. The conference did not hold a tournament during those seasons.
THE NOTE III
SDSU improves to 21-12 in the Mountain West Tournament and has both the most wins and best winning percentage in tournament history (.636).
THE NOTE IV
San Diego State finishes up 2025 with a 20-5 record when playing at SDSU Softball Stadium.
UP NEXT
San Diego State will watch the NCAA Tournament Selection Show at 4 p.m. PT on ESPN2 on Sunday to find out which Regional they will go to and who they will face.
San Diego State 3, Fresno State 1
Fresno State (37-19)       000 001 0 – 1 4 1
San Diego State (36-17)       003 000 X – 3 2 2
W – Cellura, 17-7; L – Neiss, 20-6
HR: None
San Diego State 3, Fresno State 1
Fresno State (37-20)       000 001 0 – 1 6 0
San Diego State (37-17)       120 000 X – 3 8 0
W – Cellura, 18-7; L – Ortega, 3-3
HR: None
Discussion about this post