April 22, 2016
Reno, Nev. - Katelyn Linford dazzled the Nevada Wolf Pack, scattering four hits and giving up no earned runs, in San José State softball's 11-1 victory on Friday afternoon.
Linford tossed a complete game to earn her second win in as many starts and improve her record to 6-8. In five starts and eight appearances since the start of conference play, Linford is 4-1 with a 3.15 ERA.
Nevada (30-10, 8-5 MW) got half its hits and all its runs in the bottom of the first. After a leadoff single from Kywnn Walker and a fielding error by Brittany Abacherli in center, Walker stood on second. Three batters later, a single by Jasmine Jenkins allowed Walker to score an unearned run and stake UNR to a 1-0 lead.
For the rest of the game Linford limited Nevada to a single in the third, a walk in the fifth and a double in the sixth, while striking out three. In her last two starts, both wins, she has thrown 13.0 innings, given up seven hits and just two earned runs.
As good as Linford was, UNR starter Brooke Bolinger nearly matched her for the first four innings. Bolinger allowed two hits, a walk and hit two batters, but got out of every jam she found her self in.
However, in the fifth the San José State (20-21, 9-4 MW) bats began to figure the freshman out. Chelsea Jenner (1-for-2, 2 R) singled to open the frame and Brittany Abacherli (3-for-5, 3 R, RBI, 3B) followed it with a single of her own. Two batters later Jessica Madrid walked to load the bases.
Jessie Hufstetler (2-for-4, R, 3 RBI) singled up the middle to plate Jenner and Abacherli. Madison Aurin then reached on an error by the Wolf Pack leftfielder. The miscue allowed Madrid to score from second and SJSU had a 3-1 lead.
In the sixth, the Spartans offense blew the game open. With one out, Jenner walked and scored when Abacherli roped a triple over the head of the centerfielder for her team-best 40th RBI. Alyssa Martinez ( 2-for-4, R, RBI) singled in Abacherli in the next at bat. Madrid followed Martinez's single with a double and after Hufstetler was hit by a pitch, one of three batters Bolinger plunked, the bases were loaded. Aurin was walked to plate a run and two batters later Emma Entzminger walked to push across another.
Pinch hitter Anissa Pinedo followed Entzminger with a shot down the third base line, which Wolf Pack third baseman Melissa Arriage mishandled allowing Hufstetler to score the fifth run of the inning. It gave SJSU an 8-1 lead after five and a half.
Bolinger was pulled after six innings and would be tagged with the loss after giving up eight hits, eight runs, six earned and walking five. Her record dropped to 14-5.
Chase Redington pitched the seventh for Nevada and saw San José State score three more runs.
Erin Rodriguez, pinch-hitting for Jenner, singled to open the inning. Jenner was reinserted, but on an Abacherli single to right was thrown out at second. Casey Lester, in a pinch-hitting situation, reached on a throwing error. Abacherli moved to third on the play and Lester to second.
Madrid (2-for-4, 3 R, RBI) then singled in Abacherli. From third base Lester scored in a wild pitch and Madrid was driven in on a Hufstetler single for an 11-1 lead.
Linford set UNR down in order in the seventh and with the 11-1 score; SJSU had taken game one of the three-game set.
Game two of the Mountain West Conference series is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.
San Jose State 11, Nevada 1 (Apr 22, 2016 at Reno, Nev.)
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San Jose State...... 000 035 3 - 11 12 1 (20-21, 9-4 MW)
Nevada.............. 100 000 0 - 1 4 5 (30-10, 8-5 MW)
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Pitchers: San Jose State - Linford, Katelyn and Avila, Alyssa. Nevada - BOLINGER, B;
REDINGTON, C(7) and NICHOLAS, A.
Win-LINFORD, Katelyn(6-8) Loss-BOLINGER, B(14-5) T-2:16 A-71