The Aztecs put all of college softball on notice last week in Clearwater.

SDSU went 4-1 on the weekend with some thunderous wins over two ranked teams in Alabama and Missouri, as well as two walk-off wins and a dominant win over Virginia.

If you asked the coaches and the players last week, the team’s objective was to let the college softball world know that the Aztecs are here to stay and contend with the best teams in all of college softball. Safe to say, they achieved that goal last weekend in Clearwater. The Aztecs returned home and traveled about two and a half hours up north along the 10 east freeway to Cathedral City for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, with another five games on the horizon.

The five games were against 19th-ranked Oregon, UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside, Saint Mary’s, and Hawaii.

The Aztecs opened the weekend with 19th-ranked Oregon Friday night, both teams riding high into the game with on-win streaks. One of the win streaks had to end that night, and the Aztecs’ six-game win streak fell, as the Aztecs lost 7-2.

The Ducks scored five runs in the second inning and didn’t look back. Pitcher Cece Cellura started the game after giving up five runs in the second, then back-to-back singles in the third. She was then replaced by Grace Uribe, who had yet another great weekend in the circle for the Aztecs. Cellura, on the other hand, had a rough weekend for the Aztecs. After falling to Oregon, the Aztecs were hoping to gain the momentum they had gained in Clearwater back, and they did just that, winning two games on Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday, the Aztecs started off the evening with UC Santa Barbara.

Dee Dee Hernandez got the start and pitched a complete game shutout as the Aztecs bested the Gauchos 4-0. This game was the start of an outstanding weekend for three Aztecs

Bella Espinoza went 2-for-44 on the day with an RBI scoring Yellen in the bottom half of the second. Cali Decker went 2-for-3 in the contest, the beginning of her simply insane weekend.

The complete game shutout was the first of her career and the weekend for Dee Dee Hernandez. In the second game of the evening, the Aztecs faced off against the UC Riverside Highlanders. The Aztecs went to true freshman Ava Schaffel, who is a star in the making on The Mesa.

Schaffel went five shutout frames against the Highlanders, giving up three hits and three walks while striking out six through five innings.

The Aztecs then went to Grace Uribe, who gave up a run in the 6th inning but then shut the door for the Aztecs to take a 4-1 victory to end the evening. Bella went 3-for-3 with three runs, driven in by Uribe in the first, Decker in the third, and then on a passed ball in the fifth inning. Cali Decker went 2-for-2 with an RBI, and Grace Uribe went 1-for-3 in the batter’s box, driving in a run.

After a 2-0 Saturday, the Aztecs came in Sunday hoping to replicate that outcome.

They opened the day with Saint Mary and Cece Cellura on the mound. Cellura began the day great, going the first four innings without giving up a run in only 23 pitches. Then came the 5th. The Gaels opened up the fifth with back-to-back bloop doubles down the line. After giving up two doubles, Cellura responded with a groundout and a strikeout.

She then gave up a soft base hit that plated one, and then another soft base hit that then plated two runs. The Aztecs went to Grace Uribe, who induced an inning-ending pop-out.

The Aztecs opened the scoring in the third after Bella Espinoza walked and was then advanced to third on a Jazmin Williams double that was hit hard directly at the third baseman.

Cali Decker continued her insane week with a sac fly to plate Espinoza, giving the Aztecs the lead.

The Aztecs all-time saves leader Dee Dee Hernandez came in to shut the door, and shut it she did. The Aztecs had 10 hits, led by Jazmin Williams and Cali Decker, who both recorded two hits in the game.

SDSU quickly transitioned to face Hawaii. Dee Dee Hernandez started the game for the Aztecs in game two on Sunday.

The game started out slow, as it was scoreless heading into the fourth.

SDSU rallied to make it a 6-0 game, led by Cali Decker once again. Bella Espinoza worked a count full and hit a high bouncer over the pitcher into center field to plate two more for the SDSU, making it 8-0 Aztecs. Dee Dee Hernandez shut the door on the Warriors.

Cali Decker led the entire Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with a .688 OBP, while Bella Espinoza led the field in SBs with six on the weekend.

The Aztecs played well after falling to Oregon on Friday. This team is extremely fun to watch and should be gaining more and more support from the Aztec fan base as the year goes on.

The Aztecs play CBU on Tuesday this week before heading back up to Fullerton for another five-game set in the Judi Garman Classic, with games set up against Weber State, Notre Dame, Utah, and Arizona. They will also have a rematch against Cal State Fullerton.

Bryant Thursby

Assistant Coach at Heritage High School. A big time SDSU fanatic and Padres fan.