SAN DIEGO — San Diego State softball opened its 2026 campaign with exactly the kind of statement Head Coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz has been preaching: toughness, preparation, and the confidence to compete against anyone. The team is coming off of three years of consecutive Mountain West Conference tournament titles, and if yesterday was any indication, SDSU is keeping their feet on the gas. Behind timely power, steady pitching, and a lineup that refused to waste opportunities, the Aztecs swept their Friday doubleheader at SDSU Softball Stadium, edging Minnesota 3–2 in the opener before rolling past Loyola Chicago 9–1 in the nightcap.
“We’ve been working hard,” Nuveman Deniz said after the sweep. “We pushed the envelope in terms of getting them a lot of live at‑bats off our own pitchers just to get everybody ready, and I feel like we’re in a really good place.”
Her team played like it.
Game 1: SDSU 3, Minnesota 2
The season began with a tight, disciplined win over Minnesota that made SDSU earn every inch. The breakthrough came early, when Jade Ignacio delivered the Aztecs’ first home run of the year, a no‑doubt shot to lead off the bottom of the second. Her solo blast tied the game at 1–1 and ignited the offense.
Later in the inning, Julie Holcomb continued the momentum, driving in Lala Macario (Bonita Vista) who had reached on a single and moved into scoring position. Holcomb’s RBI single put SDSU ahead 2–1.
Minnesota clawed back with a run in the fourth, but the Aztecs refused to let the game slip. In the seventh, with the score still tied, SDSU manufactured the winning run the old‑fashioned way: pressure, speed, and execution. Jazmin Williams (Steele Canyon) who had already collected two hits, reached base and eventually came around to score on a clutch RBI single from Holcomb, her third hit of the afternoon and the game‑winner.
Pitching carried the rest.
Ava Schaffel opened with three innings of one‑run ball.
Keyannah Pua followed with three strong frames, allowing just one run and striking out three.
Matti Kwarta closed the door in the seventh, retiring all three batters she faced to secure the win.
SDSU’s defense turned a key double play in the middle innings, and Holcomb, Ignacio, and Williams combined for six of the team’s seven hits.
Game 2: SDSU 9, Loyola Chicago 1
If the opener was about grit, the nightcap was about firepower.
The Aztecs erupted for nine runs on ten hits, powered by home runs from Williams and Olivia Gigante (Patrick Henry) both of whom delivered their damage with two outs.
Williams struck first, crushing a two‑run homer in the third inning to extend SDSU’s lead to 4–1. She finished the game 3‑for‑3 with two runs scored and two RBI, continuing her dominant opening day.
Gigante matched her in the sixth, launching a towering two‑run shot to left, her second extra‑base hit of the night after doubling earlier. She drove in three runs and scored twice, finishing with six total bases.
SDSU’s scoring came from all over the lineup:
Holcomb reached twice and scored twice, adding a stolen base.
Ignacio went 2‑for‑3 with an RBI and a stolen base.
Andrea Tall and Mia Rodriguez each crossed the plate after entering as substitutes.
Quinn Waiki added a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
Ally Dueker chipped in a hit, and Kaila Pollard reached base twice.
On the mound, the Aztecs settled in after a shaky first inning.
Kwarta battled through early traffic, allowing one run in 1.1 innings.
Faith Jordan was outstanding in relief, throwing 4.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts and just one hit allowed.
SDSU’s defense was clean and the team swiped three bases, applying pressure from start to finish.
For Nuveman Deniz, the sweep was more than two wins. It was validation of the schedule she intentionally built.
“I’m a firm believer that iron sharpens iron,” she said. “I want to play a tough schedule. Our schedule kind of looks like it matches up to that ideal.”
The challenge continued immediately. SDSU returned to the field on Saturday, losing 7-1 to Miami before a prime time matchup with Kentucky at 7 p.m. local time as opening weekend rolls on.
After a strong Friday and a tough Saturday afternoon, SDSU wraps opening weekend against Kentucky, carrying momentum and lessons into the rest of the season.
Photo credit: Derrick Tuskan/San Diego State
