May 3, 2015
San Jose, Calif. -- Sophomore pitcher Katelyn Linford mowed down a career-best nine batters and earned a compete game 7-1 win over the Nevada Wolf Pack in San José State softball's 2015 home finale on Sunday.
Linford, who improved her record to 6-3 on the season, had at least one strikeout in every inning, except the first, and eight of her nine strikeouts were swinging. She scattered three hits, a double and two singles, and followed each hit with a strikeout. The nine Ks ties Madison Fish, who's done it twice this year, for the most in a game by a Spartans this in 2015.
"I haven't had a lot of chances to start this season," Linford said, "and wanted to send the seniors with a win in their final home game. I got in a groove. The defense played well behind me and we scored runs. This was a team effort."
"After yesterday's game, I had a feeling that Linny would have success against Nevada," head coach Peter Turner said. "She dominated today and has the stuff to do this every time she goes out there. She's the future and should be our number one pitcher next year. If she continues to perform like that, we're in good hands."
The Spartans (35-18, 15-6 MW) broke a season-high three-game losing streak on Saturday with an 8-4 win, which included a six-run fifth inning. On Sunday, SJSU saw its offense click from the first inning on.
With two outs and runners on first and second, Alyssa Martinez (1-for-4, RBI) drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single to left center. It was one of three hits in the frame, but San José State left two on.
In the third, the Spartans got three consecutive doubles to open the inning. Jessica Madrid (3-for-4, 3 R, 2 RBIs) opened with a shot down the left field line. She was plated on a double to left center from Jessie Hufstetler (3-for-4, 2 R, RBI) and Hufstetler came around to score on an Anissa Pinedo double to left. The Spartans got two more runners on but stranded them and after three, SJSU was up 3-0.
Nevada (15-35, 5-16 MW) got its lone run of the game in the top of the fourth. Linford issued a one-out walk after a 10-pitch battle against Raquel Martinez. Martinez then stole second and scored three batters later on an RBI single off the bat of Jennifer Purcell.
In the bottom of the frame, the Spartans got the run right back and added to its lead scoring twice with two outs. Runners were on first and second when Pinedo (3-for-4, 2 RBIs) drove a ball to center for the team's fourth run of the day. Two batters later, with the bases loaded, Erin Rodriguez was walked to score the fifth run of the day.
San José State had two chances to blow the game open with bases loaded and two outs, but came away with the single run and left three runners on. They would be three of 11 runners that the Spartans would leave on base in the game.
"I was really pleased with the majority of what we did in the circle, defensively and with the bats," Turner said. "My only complaint is that we left way to many potential runs on the bases."
In the fifth the Spartans put the game on ice. Emma Entzminger and Nicole Schultz were issued walks to open the SJSU half of the inning. Two batters later, with Entzminger on third and Schultz on second, Madrid walloped a shot to right field scoring both runners and making it a 7-1 ballgame.
Linford struck out three swinging over the final two innings, including two in the final frame as well as the game clinching out.
San José State plays its final Mountain West series of the 2015 season at New Mexico next week. Game one of the three-game set is Thursday, May 7 with first pitch scheduled for 4:00 p.m. (PT).
San Jose State 7, Nevada 1 (May 03, 2015 at San Jose, Calif.)
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Nevada.............. 000 100 0 - 1 3 2 (15-35, 5-16 MW)
San Jose State...... 102 220 X - 7 12 0 (35-18, 15-6 MW)
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Pitchers: Nevada - ISENBERG, M; REDINGTON, C(4); DORTCH, M(6) and NICHOLAS, A.
San Jose State - Linford, Katelyn and Entzminger, Emma.
Win-LINFORD, Katelyn(6-3) Loss-ISENBERG, M(5-13) T-2:04 A-204
ISENBERG, M faced 2 batters in the 3rd.