San Diego State softball came into do-or-die mode on Friday.

The Aztecs needed two wins on the day to make it to their third straight Mountain West Championship.

They did just that, besting the Boise State Broncos 6-1 in the first game. Then, in a thriller versus the number one-seeded Wolf Pack, they won game two 5-4. Coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz told the locker room on Thursday that they needed to come out swinging. They did just that.

SDSU vs. Boise State

The Aztecs faced off against Olivia Bauer of Boise State.  The last time the Aztecs saw Bauer, they put up four runs before there was an out in the first inning, in Boise about a month ago.

The Aztecs didn’t exactly repeat that, but put up four quick runs in the first inning again. Bella Espinoza got on to start the game (a little foreshadowing of what she did the whole day).

With runners on first and third with an out, the Aztecs attempted to steal second. The Broncos catcher threw down, and Espinoza came in the back door to score the first run. After the game, Espinoza spoke about her importance to getting on base for the Aztecs. “In the lead-off spot, I am just trying to set the table for my team, and they lean on me. I do it for the girls behind me so they can keep passing the bat,” Espinoza said.

Shannon Cunningham then blasted a three-run home run to right field, thanks to some help from Sophia Knight.

AND THAT BABY IS GONE!!!@shancunnningham hits a three-run 💣 to make it a 4-0 ballgame!! #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/CRt5SlsaYV

— San Diego State Softball (@AztecSoftball) May 9, 2025

Cece Cellura started the first game.

She went three scoreless innings before being relieved by Dee Dee Hernandez.

Hernandez went the remaining four innings, getting the win for the Aztecs. The Aztecs were led by Espinoza in this one, getting on base all four times she came to the dish. The mighty and ferocious Nevada Wolf Pack awaited the Aztecs after their 6-1 win over the Broncos.

SDSU vs. Nevada

San Diego State came in as the away team due to Nevada being the number one seed.

What is the objective of Coach Nuveman Deniz’s squad?

Get the lead before the Wolf Pack even has a chance to bat. They did just that, thanks to an Angie Yellen scoring Espinoza after she had reached on an error. Cellura started the game again for the Aztecs, getting a scoreless inning in the first. The Aztecs scored one run again, this time from Jade Ignacio. She doubled down the right field line, scoring Cunningham.

.@jadeignacio8 doubles down the right field line to score @shancunnningham and double our lead! #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/Lnf6WyI2Ug

— San Diego State Softball (@AztecSoftball) May 10, 2025

After giving up a weak base hit, Coach Nuveman Deniz went to Grace Uribe to keep the lead for the Aztecs.

Uribe went through the second to the fourth inning, giving up two unearned runs to the Wolf Pack.

Cellura came back in for the Aztecs in the fifth inning. The run scored due to an error by Grace Uribe in the outfield. The Aztecs were down 3-2, and Coach Nuveman Deniz went to Gabriella Terrones to pinch hit for Uribe with a runner on and one down.

Terrones worked the count full, fouling off pitch after pitch. Until she got a hold of one to deep right field and put the Aztecs up 4-3. Terrones spoke after the game. “Coming in as a pinch hitter, most of the time pitchers go at you. I kept fouling off pitches and was a bit late. I had to pull a pitch, find the gap, and hit a barrel,” Terrones said. She also spoke about the message from the coaches before the at-bat. “Curly told me to look for your pitch, she had been around the zone. First pitch was a strike, and I looked at Bryce, and he said Just hit it, I had to hit a gap and move over Quinn.”

ALL ABOARD!!!!@gabbyterrones11 GIVES IT A RIDE FOR A PINCH-HIT TWO-RUN GO-AHEAD 💣 AND WE NOW LEAD 4-3!! #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/EkIes4b4Ea

— San Diego State Softball (@AztecSoftball) May 10, 2025

The Aztecs added some insurance with Julie Holcomb scoring Ignacio on a single to right.

The Wolf Pack did not back down to the Aztecs. With one down in the inning, Nevada got the winning run to second and the tying run to third base. Coach Nuveman Deniz went out to the circle to calm her star pitcher, and she calmed her down. After the mound visit, Cellura struck out the last two Nevada batters to win the Aztecs the game. Thus, sending them to the MW Championship tomorrow.

.@cellura2023 SLAMS THE DOOR AND YOUR AZTECS ARE CHAMPIONSHIP BOUND!!! #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/KWI6AsXdOw

— San Diego State Softball (@AztecSoftball) May 10, 2025

Cellura spoke after the game about the mound visit in the seventh. “She went on there and said you don’t have to be perfect. Trust your fielders and trust your stuff. My mindset was like I have nothing to lose, so why not go for it?” Cellura said. She also spoke about staying locked in, knowing that being pulled in the second, she would come back in. “It’s something I have had to work on; it happened in Boise, and I wasn’t locked in, so I had to stay mentally ready no matter what.”

After the game, Coach Nuveman-Deniz spoke about the team’s mentality. “We played like we had something to lose, and it didn’t look like that yesterday. Every pitch and every at bat, whether it was execution or competing. That is all we can ask,” the SDSU coach said. She also spoke about the mound visit late versus Nevada. “Look, they are really aggressive right now, expand the zone, you are being too good pounding the zone, throw the ball off the plate or down in the zone, make them get themselves out. She is very good at getting ahead, and she made a nice adjustment, staying away from the zone.”

When asked about why she went to Terrones, “She has had some really quality at-bats. When we were in Boise, she hit a grand slam, and in that situation, you just need a real quality at-bat. She has been swinging at good pitches. A huge credit to her for taking advantage of the opportunity she was given,” Coach Nuveman-Deniz said.

Coach Nuveman-Deniz’s message regarding Saturday’s game: “Just take it one game at a time. Fresno is hot right now and is in the driver’s seat. Okay, cool. We have shown some fight over the last 24 hours, and it will be evenly matched.” The Aztecs will face off against Fresno State at noon. Saturday, May 10.

Bryant Thursby

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