Feb. 8, 2015
Tempe, Ariz. - The San José State softball team gave up five-hits and committed two errors allowing the UC Riverside Highlanders to score six runs in their half of the third inning and defeat the Spartans 6-1 on Sunday afternoon in the final game of the Kajikawa Classic.
The score was 0-0 entering the bottom of the third. San José State starter Madison Fish had scattered three hits in the first two innings, but in the third, a leadoff triple followed by an infield single and stolen base put two runners in scoring position.
UC Riverside (3-2) got a sacrifice fly from its next batter to plate a run. That was followed by another triple; another run scored and spelled the end of the day for Fish. She took the loss (2-1) allowing three runs in 2.1 innings.
Berlyn Rippentrop came on in relief and induced a groundout from the first batter she faced. The Spartans should have been back in the dugout after the next batter, but an error at second base by Taylor Purdy prolonged the inning and allowed the third run of the frame to score.
A walk and single loaded the bases. The Highlanders got their fourth and fifth runs of the inning on an error by catcher Daisy Conchas. UC Riverside plated its sixth run on an RBI single from its 10 batter of the inning.
Rippentrop was lifted for Collette Riggs who got San José State out of the inning on a groundout from first batter she faced. When the dust had cleared, UC Riverside had scored six runs, four unearned, and led 6-0.
Riggs shut down the Highlanders for the rest of the game, holding them hitless while surrendering two walks and hitting one batter.
The Spartans offense, which averaged over 11 hits and more than nine runs per outing in its first five contests, had chances to put runs on the board throughout the game, but when the crucial hit was needed it just didn't come. San Jose State was 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Conchas drove in the lone run for SJSU (4-2) on a sacrifice fly in the fourth, which scored Erin Rodriguez.
The Spartans finished with one run on five hits. Jessie Hustetler collected two hits with Michelle Cox, Rodriguez and Purdy picking up the other three.
UC Riverside's Chelsea Ponce picked up the win. She went four innings and gave up one run on four hits while walking six.
The Spartans travel to Tucson, Ariz., next week to play in the Hillenbrand Invitational beginning on Friday and running through Sunday.
UC Riverside 6, San Jose State 1 (Feb 08, 2015 at Tempe, Ariz.)------------------------------ ------------------------------ ----------San Jose State...... 000 100 0 - 1 5 2 (4-2)UC Riverside........ 006 000 X - 6 8 0 (3-2)------------------------------ ------------------------------ ----------Pitchers: San Jose State - Fish, Madison; RIPPENTROP, Berlyn(3); RIGGS, Colette(3) and Conchas, Daisy. UC Riverside - C Ponce; R Faulkner(5) and C Holley; K DeAnda. Win-C Ponce(3-1) Loss-FISH, Madison(2-1) T-2:20 A-0 Weather: Upper 70s, pleasant breeze
C Ponce faced 2 batters in the 5th.