April 4, 2015
San Jose, Calif. -- For the first game in its three game series against Colorado State, the San José State softball team played well offensively, defensively and in the circle, which led to an 8-0, five-inning victory on Sunday afternoon on SJSU Field.
Allison Lang, (9-7) tossed a one-hit shutout to end the Spartans (26-14, 6-3 MW) two-game mini losing streak. She allowed a one out single in the second, but left the runner at first following a fly out and ground out.
In the third, the first two Rams batters reach base safely on a hit by pitch and an error by San José State first baseman Jessie Hufstetler. Lang responded with a strikeout and a pair of groundouts to end the inning and effectively end the game for Colorado State. The senior from Fountain Valley, Calif., set down, in order, the last nine batters she faced and struck out a total of four in the game.
The San José State offense, which had struggled to drive in runs and was shutout in its first two games against Colorado State (21-17, 2-4 MW), woke up on Saturday. They were 9-of-18 with runners on, 4-of-13 with runners in scoring position and 5-of-9 with two outs.
Among the 12 SJSU base knocks, four Spartans had multi-hit games. Taylor Purdy went 2-for-2 with a double and three RBIs. Jessie Hufstetler, Alyssa Martinez and Erin Rodriguez were each 2-for-3. Hufstetler had a double and a two-run homer and Martinez drove in two. Anissa Pinedo, the designated player, had an RBI double.
In the first inning, it didn't look like the Spartans were going to erupt for their fourth run-rule win in six home games. It looked like more of what had been happening in the first two games.
Michelle Cox opened the bottom of the first with a single and promptly stole second. She advanced to third on a fly out, but after a pair of groundouts SJSU failed to get the run across.
San José State finally broke through against Colorado State pitching in the second. With one out and runners on second and third, Purdy lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, which scored the Spartans first run of the series.
In the third, Spartans fans saw something more familiar. SJSU banged out five hits and scored five times.
Following a one-out walk, Hufstetler hammered her 10th home run of the year. The shot was to left center and made the score 3-0 Spartans. Sharon-Renae Estrada followed Hufstetler with a single up the middle, which ended the day for Rams starter Holly Reinke (9-11). Reinke's line was 2 1/3 innings pitched, four hits, four runs, three earned.
Trinity Harrington, who limited the Spartans to five hits on Friday, came on in relief, but Saturday would be a different story for her. The first batter she faced, Martinez, singled and two batters later Purdy lashed a double down the left field line to plate two runs. Pinedo then exchanged places with Purdy with a double of her own. Pinedo's was to right center and scored Purdy giving San José State a 6-0 lead.
In the fourth, the Spartans banged out five more hits. Jessica Madrid picked up a one-out single, which was followed by a Hufstetler double to left center. Two batters later, with both runners still in scoring position, Martinez singled up the middle. Two runs scored to make it 8-0.
All that was left was for Lang to close out the fifth. She induced a groundout, a strike out and ended the game with a final ground out.
The Spartans next game is Tuesday, April 7 at SJSU Field. San José State hosts Stanford with first pitch scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
San Jose State 8, Colorado State 0 (Apr 04, 2015 at San Jose, Calif.)------------------------------ ------------------------------ ----------Colorado State...... 000 00 - 0 1 1 (21-17, 2-4 MW)San Jose State...... 015 2X - 8 12 1 (26-14, 6-3 MW)------------------------------ ------------------------------ ----------Pitchers: Colorado State - REINKE, Holl; HARRINGTON,(3) and MANZANARES,.San Jose State - Lang, Allison and Entzminger, Emma.Win-LANG, Allison(9-7) Loss-REINKE, Holl(9-11) T-1:24 A-173HR SJ - Hufstetler, Jessie.