April 15, 2016
San Jose, Calif. - The San Jose State softball team took a three-run lead in the first, but couldn't hold it and lost to the San Diego State Aztecs, 9-6 in the opener of the team's Mountain West Conference series.
San Jose State (18-20, 7-3 MW) scored its first-inning runs on a Jessie Hufstetler (1-for-3, 3 RBI) sacrifice fly to right, an RBI double off the bat of Madison Aurin (1-for-4, R, RBI) and an RBI single from Taylor Purdy.
The score remained 3-0 until the top of the third. Spartans starter Colette Riggs got the first two outs, but then ran into trouble. She gave up a single, a walk and then hit a batter to load the bases. Sydnee Cable then hit a pop-up beyond short, which appeared to be the third out.
Shortstop Alyssa Martinez and leftfielder Jessica Madrid both went for the ball, but at the last second Martinez pealed off. Madrid couldn't make the catch and the ball dropped between the pair allowing two runs to score. San Diego State added three more on an RBI double and two RBI singles taking a 5-3 lead.
San Diego State (23-18, 5-8 MW) made it 7-3 in the top of the fourth on a Jenavee Perez two-run homer to left. Riggs (6-3) finished the inning and would be the hard luck loser. She should have gotten out of the third unscathed, but was charged with all five runs, seven in her 4.0 pitched.
SJSU got a run back in the fifth with a two-out RBI double from Purdy (2-for-4, 2 RBI), but San Diego State came right back in the top of the next innings and scored twice off Katelyn Linford, who had entered the game in the top of the fifth.
The last serious chance for the Spartans came in the bottom of the sixth. They loaded the bases with two outs and Hufstetler drove in two on a single making it 9-6. But the next batter, Aurin, grounded out with runners on the corners to end the inning.
SDSU's Ashley Ercolano (2-2) tossed two innings of relief, giving up three runs and earned the win. Alex Formby picked up a save, her third of the season.
The teams play game two of the three game series on Saturday. First pitch at SJSU Field is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
San Diego State 9, San Jose State 6 (Apr 15, 2016 at San Jose, Calif.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
San Diego State..... 005 202 0 - 9 8 0 (23-18, 5-8)
San Jose State...... 300 012 0 - 6 8 1 (18-20, 7-3)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: San Diego State - ROMERO, Erica; ERCOLANO, Ashley(4); FORMBY, Alex(6) and
ORLANDO, Frankie. San Jose State - Riggs, Colette; LINFORD, Katelyn(5) and Luna, Alexandra.
Win-ERCOLANO, Ashley(2-2) Save-FORMBY, Alex(3) Loss-RIGGS, Colette(6-3) T-1:55 A-75
HR SDSU - PERES, Jenavee (8).