March 5, 2015
Florida Box Score
Fullerton, Calif. - The San Jose State softball team defeated the Long Beach State 49ers, 4-3, in its first game of the 2015 Judi Garman Classic but lost to the No. 1-ranked Florida Gators, 9-1 in five innings, later in the day.
The Spartans had six hits in each game, but made much better use of their opportunities against the 49ers. For the day, Alyssa Martinez was 3-for-5 with a run and two RBI. Sharon Renae Estrada was 2-for-5 with a pair of runs and Emma Entzminger was also 2-for-5 and drove in two runs.
"Today it was pitching," said head coach Peter Turner. "In game one we got it and in game two we didn't. It's as simple as that."
Game 1 vs. Long Beach State
The Spartans got four runs in the second inning and made them stand up in a 4-3 win over the Long Beach State 49er.
After Sharon Renae-Estrada walked to open the frame. Alyssa Martinez (1-3, RBI, R) connected on her third home run of the year, a shot to dead center, to erase the 49er 1-0 lead. Erin Rodriguez (2-2, R) followed Martinez with a double to left and after Taylor Purdy got on by a fielding error the Spartans (15-6) were set up with runners on the corners and no outs.
One out and one batter later, Emma Entzminger (1-3, RBI) singled to right driving in Rodriguez. Michelle Cox laid down a perfect bunt single to load the bases and on Jessica Madrid's (1-2, RBI) sac fly to left Purdy came home to make it 4-1 after two.
In the fourth, Long Beach State (10-12) got a run back on a lead off home run from Julia Lombardi, who drove in two of the 49ers three runs on the day. They would add another run in the fifth.
Spartan starter Madison Fish gave up back-to-back singles to open the fifth and was lifted in favor of Allison Lang. After inducing a pair of groundouts, and with runners on second and third, Lang uncorked a wild pitch which allowed a run to score.
From that point on Lang allowed just one hit, a leadoff single in the sixth, in earning her fourth save of the season.
Fish earned the win, improving her record to 8-2. She went 4.0 innings allowed six hits and three earned runs while striking out six.
San Jose State 4, Long Beach State 3 (Mar 05, 2015 at Fullerton, Calif.)----------------------------------------------------------------------Long Beach State.... 100 110 0 - 3 7 1 (10-12)San Jose State...... 040 000 X - 4 6 1 (15-6)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: Long Beach State - Hansen; Polamalu(2) and Lombardi, L.. San Jose State - Fish, Madison; LANG, Allison(5) and Entzminger, Emma.Win-FISH, Madison(8-2) Save-LANG, Allison(4) Loss-Hansen(3-6) T-1:42 A-75 HR LBSU - Lombardi, L. (3). HR SJ - Martinez, Alyssa (3). Weather: Sunny and Clear
FISH faced 2 batters in the 5th.
Game 2 vs. Florida
The No. 1 Gators (24-0) scored nine runs on eight hits to run rule the Spartans 9-1 in San Jose State's second game of the day.
"Our pitching let us down," said head coach Peter Turner. "Look at the runs to hits ratio; that tells you all you need to know. We gave up eight walks and hit a batter. Against anyone that type of pitching performance is not going to get it done and against a team like (Florida), they are going to make you pay and they did."
Spartan starter Allison Lang gave up a lead off walk in the first, which came around to score and get the Gators a 1-0 lead.
San José State (15-7) got its first two batters, Sharon-Renae Estrada (2-3, R) and Alyssa Martinez (2-2), on to lead off the second, but they couldn't take advantage. A fielder choice and a pair of strikeouts ended the threat.
In the third, Lang walked the first two batters and a ground out moved the runners into scoring position. The next batter grounded out as well driving in the first of three runs in the inning. A hit by pitch and steal put runners on second and third again. A double to left drove in two more and Florida led 4-0 after three.
The Spartans got their lone run of the game in the fourth. Estrada led off with a single and moved to third on a Martinez double. Erin Rodriguez hit a deep fly ball to center, but Estrada didn't tag up to score, which left Martinez at second. After Taylor Purdy walked to load the bases with one out, Emma Entzminger singled to left to drive in Estrada. But the rally stalled there and the Spartans left the bases loaded and the score 4-1.
"When Rodriguez hit that ball to center, it was deep enough to score Estrada," said Turner, `but her not tagging up it cost us a run later in the inning. Martinez would have gotten to third on the sac fly and been driven in by Entzminger. It was a mental mistake that cost a run. Those types of mistakes are costing us runs and games. It has to stop."
Katelyn Linford entered the circle in the fourth for the Spartans and surrendered three hits, three walks and three runs in two-thirds of an inning. Collette Riggs was brought in and got the final out, but the damage was done. Florida led 7-1.
Riggs stayed in for the fifth and gave up and lead off double and two-run homer for the final score of 9-1.
Lang went 3.0 innings, walked five and allowed four run on four hits. She was tagged with the loss and drops to 4-3 on the year.
San José State continues play in the Judi Garman Classic with a pair of games on Friday against No. 3 Michigan (9:30 a.m.) and Iowa (12:30 p.m.)
Florida 9, San Jose State 1 (Mar 05, 2015 at Fullerton, Calif.)----------------------------------------------------------------------San Jose State...... 000 10 - 1 6 2 (15-7)Florida............. 103 32 - 9 8 0 (24-0)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: San Jose State - Lang, Allison; LINFORD, Katelyn(4); RIGGS, Colette(4) and Entzminger, Emma; Conchas, Daisy. Florida - Haeger and Fuller. Win-Haeger(10-0) Loss-LANG, Allison(4-3) T-1:23 A-375 HR UF - Merritt (5). Weather: 79 degrees, sunny
RIGGS faced 2 batters in the 5th.