The San Diego State Softball team is 18-13 on the year and 3-3 to open MW Conference play.

The Aztecs finished non-conference play 14-11 and on a two-game winning streak.

Before finishing the non-conference against CBU, Coach Nuveman-Deniz said the team has had a roller coaster of a non-conference season.

“I would characterize our non-conference very much as a rollercoaster. We had some great walk-off wins early on; we beat some good teams. Then we have played poorly and been humbled. Our goal is to keep the momentum going and learning in those hard days, cause thats how they serve you in the long run,” Nuvemann-Deniz said.

The Aztecs certainly know the type of start to the season they had and how it affected their RPI.

The team started out looking like a potential at-large bid into NCAA Regionals; then the Mary Nutter happened. SDSU suffered defeats to a couple of ranked teams in Texas Tech and Oklahoma. Then suffered a bad loss to Saint Mary’s. After that weekend, heading into the Torero Classic, the Aztecs suffered their worst loss of the season to CSUN.

Nuveman-Deniz had this to say about the team’s RPI and standing when it comes to the NCAA Regionals. “The tournament is where it’s at, where we are right now, RPI-wise. The tournament is our chance to enter the postseason. It doesn’t mean we don’t care about winning regular season games cause we do. But I think it’s more about the build, and the growth process, towards being what we need to be towards the end of the season.”

Julie Holcomb, who was a preseason All MW selection and a first-team MW selection last season, is struggling. Not just with the bat but in the field as well. The junior slap hitter from Los Alamitos was benched for the entirety of the Colorado State series this past weekend. If San Diego State is going to make a push for the postseason, they need Holcomb, and Coach Nuveman-Deniz is aware of that.

“Its hard… for her its really between the ears. Her game is as strong as it ever was; she is just pressing and pushing too hard. We are going to need her down the stretch; we have to have her be more effective. Slappers can’t strikeout… use your speed, the message is we haven’t lost faith or confidence in you, you have lost in yourself, and we need you down the stretch,” said Nuveman-Deniz about Holcomb being pulled and giving her confidence back.

San Diego State opened Mountain West conference play with two three-game series. One against Colorado State and the other against UNLV. The Aztec offense took a little bit of a break against these two squads. In the series against the Rams, SDSU was shut out in game one and scored two runs in games two and three. Even with the two runs being scored in games two and three, the Aztecs were still able to win thanks to the pitching staff.

The next weekend against the Rebels was quite the opposite for the Aztec pitching staff. UNLV put up four, seven, and six runs in the games against the Aztecs. San Diego State struggled in the circle, while also struggling to get hits with runners on. That was until the seventh inning in the last game of the series against UNLV.

NEVER COUNT OUT THE AZTECS!!! @jadeignacio8 launches a three-run go-ahead 💣 down to our final out and we now lead 8-7!! #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/rDV3Sn71u5

— San Diego State Softball (@AztecSoftball) March 22, 2026

San Diego State, in their five conference games, scored a combined ten runs and hit below .250 with runners in scoring position.

In the seventh inning alone, the Aztecs put up eight runs in what was an offensive explosion. San Diego State was down two runs and looked as if it was going to be swept by UNLV. That was until, with two outs and down to their last strike, Angie Yellen kept the team alive with a single up the middle. Quinn Waiki came up and had an absolute battle of a plate appearance, fouling off pitch after pitch until she finally got aboard with a single of her own.

SHE WILL WATCH IT FLY!!

Jazmin Williams launches her second 💣 of the day to put us in double figures with a 10-7 lead! #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/ibsmolWRPf

— San Diego State Softball (@AztecSoftball) March 22, 2026

Then Jade Ignacio, the Aztecs’ best hitter with runners on base and in scoring position, came to the plate. Down two, the senior from Oceanside hit a three-run home run to put SDSU up one. That was the beginning of what could have been the turning point of the Aztecs’ offensive struggles over the past couple of weeks. Every single Aztec on Sunday got on base in the 13-7 win over the Rebels.

San Diego State travels to New Mexico for a three-game series before coming back home to the Mesa. Coach Nuveman-Deniz and the Aztecs could be seeing reinforcements in the next couple of weekends. Senior Shannon Cunningham, who broke a bone in her hand before the start of the season, should be returning in a couple of weeks. The next home games for the Aztecs will be next weekend against Utah State on Easter weekend.

Bryant Thursby

Bryant is an Assistant Coach at Heritage High School. He is a big-time SDSU fanatic and a Padres fan.