March 7, 2014
Fullerton, Calif. - The San José State University softball team committed five errors and gave up a two-run lead to Cal State Fullerton in the opening game of the Judi Garman Classic on Thursday, falling to the host Titans, 5-2.
The Spartans (11-7) got on the scoreboard first in the second inning. After Alyssa Martinez singled, Sharon-Renae Estrada knocked a hard-hit ball to left center, scoring Martinez. Two batters later, Brittanie Akey singled, and Estrada made it to third on the throw. She then scored on a wild pitch for the 2-0 lead.
In the third, however, San José State suffered a defensive breakdown. Five errors by the Spartans' defense allowed four Titans to score. The five errors were a single-game season high.
Cal State Fullerton (14-7) tacked on a solo home run in the fourth for the final 5-2 score.
"The team knows they didn't play well today," head coach Peter Turner said. "We're beating other teams well in the hitting and pitching aspects of the game but we're not beating them defensively."
Allison Lang's record fell to 6-3 after scattering five hits and allowing one earned run with two strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. Berlyn Rippentrop allowed one hit and walked one in 1.2 innings in relief. "They both threw well enough to win the game," Turner said. "But when you commit five errors, you're extending the inning and putting five on that don't deserve to be on, so good things won't happen."
For the Titans, Christina Washington (3-3) earned the win, pitching five shutout innings while scattering five hits and fanning four batters.
Tomorrow, San José State faces #16/#14-Nebraska and Long Beach State. Said Turner, "We knew this would be one of the toughest tournaments, and we did it to challenge ourselves. But we need to clean up parts of our game."
Cal State Fullerton 5, San Jose State 2 (Mar 06, 2014 at Fullerton, Calif.)
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San Jose State...... 020 000 0 - 2 8 5 (11-7)
Cal State Fullerton. 004 100 X - 5 6 2 (14-7)
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Pitchers: San Jose State - Lang, Allison; RIPPENTROP, Berlyn(5) and Garcia, Jessica;
Masutani, Kryn. Cal State Fullerton - Wesley, M; Washington,(3) and Tsuchiyama,.
Win-Washington,(3-3) Loss-LANG, Allison(6-3)
HR CSF - Taukeiaho, M.