The NCAA Softball season is in full swing.

The San Diego State Aztecs opened the season with a four-game homestand against some good teams.

Coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz’s squad went 3-1, including a big win over SEC powerhouse Kentucky. The Aztecs suffered a big blow before the start of the season. Shannon Cunningham, the senior Arizona State transfer from a year ago, is out until late March. The first baseman for the Aztecs suffered a hand injury in the preseason and is expected to undergo surgery on Tuesday to help remove a floating fragment and repair damage.

The Aztecs opened the season versus Minnesota and Loyola Chicago on Friday, then face off against Miami (OH) and Kentucky on Saturday. San Diego State beat Minnesota 3-2, Loyola Chicago 9-1, and Kentucky 4-3. The lone loss came against Miami (OH), 7-1.

To open the season, Ava Schaffel was the opening day starter for the Aztecs against the Golden Gophers. Schaffel went three innings for the Aztecs, letting one run come across and walking three. The sophomore from Long Beach struggled to find control on her rise ball but was able to induce weak contact for outs.

Schaffel would then be relieved by one of the two Fresno State transfers, Key-Annah Pu’a, who would also go three innings and allow one run. She would also strike out three in as many innings. True freshman Matti Kwarta came in to keep the Aztecs and Golden Gophers tied at two apiece.

The Aztecs got their two runs off a two-run home run from Jade Ignacio. This was a foreshadowing of what was an amazing weekend for the senior from Oceanside. Julie Holcomb came up for the Aztecs with runners on first and second. Lala Macario reached first on an error, while Kaila Pollard was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Holcomb was 2-for-3 in the game, but needed to give the Aztecs one more hit, and she delivered. The junior from Los Alamitos knocked one into right field to score Macario.

Nuveman Deniz started Kwarta in the second game after she held Minnesota to no runs earlier in the day. The freshman from Red Bluff struggled with command and was relieved by Faith Jordan. Jordan had herself quite the weekend in the circle, and it all started against the Ramblers.

Jordan went 4 2/3 innings against Loyola Chicago, allowing only one base runner. Along with giving up just the one hit, the Fresno State transfer would strike out four. The Aztecs earned 10 hits in the game. Unexpectantly, Lala Macario ended the game 0-for-3.

SHE WILL WATCH IT FLY!!

Jazmin Williams launches a two-run 💣 to make it 4-1!! #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/K4K1ywqC7e

— San Diego State Softball (@AztecSoftball) February 7, 2026

Three players performed well for the Aztecs. Jazmin Williams went 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs. Olivia Gigante went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and hit a three-run walk-off home run. Ignacio went 2-for-3, tearing the absolute cover off the softball, all weekend long.

What’s better than one Opening Day walk-off? How about two Opening Day walk-offs!! @olivia_gigante launches a 3⃣-run 💣 and we win 9-1 via the run rule!! #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/AgqFIDcEes

— San Diego State Softball (@AztecSoftball) February 7, 2026

To open Saturday, the Aztecs lost 7-1 against Miami of Ohio. It was a game where the offense could seemingly not get anything going. San Diego State had five hits to Miami of Ohio’s four; the problem was the errors in the game. The Aztecs had four errors in the contest, while Miami (OH) only had two.

Candace Tarle, the transfer from Utah, would start the game for the Aztecs.

She struggled with her command. Due to that problem, Tarle would walk five batters, eventually giving up four runs (three earned). After noticing her struggling with the command, Nuveman Deniz went to Pu’a to finish the game. Knowing she had Kentucky right after, she opted to rest both Jordan and Schaffel. Even in an offensive struggle, Jade Ignacio continued to shine, going 2-for-3 in the contest.

San Diego State then moved on to the powerhouse matchup of the weekend. The Kentucky Wildcats of the SEC. Even though the Wildcats were expected to finish last in the SEC, 12 of the 15 conference members are currently ranked inside D1 Softball’s Top 25 poll.

Fresno State transfer Faith Jordan made the start for the Aztecs against the Wildcats. Jordan was on her game all weekend. She would go four innings, giving up two runs, and had everything working for her in the game. Even the defense behind her. Quinn Waiki continues to show why she is the best defensive player in the entire country.

🤯🤯 @QuinnWaiki16 YOU ARE UNREAL!! #GoAztecs #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/oo8x4cHrvc

— San Diego State Softball (@AztecSoftball) February 7, 2026

Heading into the sixth inning, the Aztecs were down one. Pollard, the Oregon transfer, was at the plate. With runners on second and third, the former number three-ranked player in the country had her welcome to The Mesa moment. She drove in Ignacio and Andrea Tall to give the Aztecs a 3-2 lead.

Aztecs lead!! @kailalefty23 comes through in the clutch with a two-run single and it’s 3-2 SDSU! #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/fm1DVt3Aco

— San Diego State Softball (@AztecSoftball) February 8, 2026

The Wildcats fought back and tied the game at three as they were down to their last strike. Going into the bottom of the seventh, the Aztecs had Angie Yellen leading off. The senior produced a leadoff walk to start the inning. Holcomb and Williams then singled to load the bases for Ignacio. Jade Ignacio would not get a chance to walk it off, as Kiara Cisneros, who pinch ran for Yellen, scored on a wild pitch.

Another night, another AZTEC WALK-OFF!! #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/If9ckwnUsQ

— San Diego State Softball (@AztecSoftball) February 8, 2026

San Diego State pulled off a stunner and now has one more weekend of games before heading to the Mary Nutter Invitational.

After her amazing weekend for the Aztecs, Jade Ignacio would win Mountain West Player of the Week. Ignacio, over the weekend, hit .636 with a 1.727 OPS. A well-deserved honor for the senior leader from El Camino High School.

𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙚𝙚𝙠 ➡️ 𝙅𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙄𝙜𝙣𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙤

Ignacio led @AztecSoftball to a 3-1 opening week, hitting .636 with two doubles, a home run and three RBIs while posting a 1.091 slugging percentage. She also added 17 putouts and five assists behind the plate.🤩… pic.twitter.com/ybHa6WZha1

— Mountain West (@MountainWest) February 9, 2026

In the middle of what was a good weekend for San Diego State, it seems Nuveman Deniz may have found the ace to her staff in Faith Jordan. There is a lot of softball left to be played in the season, but the two starts are promising for the Fresno State transfer.

San Diego State has a six-game slate ahead of it on The Mesa once again.

The Aztecs face off against Baylor twice. Oregon State twice, North Dakota, and Fordham. The team opens with Baylor on Thursday at 6 PM on the Mountain West Network. On Friday, they play Baylor at 4:30 PM, and then North Dakota at 7 PM. Saturday, the Aztecs open against Fordham at 2 PM, and then against Oregon State at 7 PM.

The Aztecs will then round out the weekend against Oregon State on Sunday at 12:30 PM.

If SDSU can go 4-2 or better this weekend, they could ride that momentum into a big weekend in Cathedral City next weekend.

Bryant Thursby

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