May 12, 2016
San Jose, Calif. - Katelyn Linford struck out a career-high 12 New Mexico Lobos in San Jose State's 4-1 victory on Thursday afternoon on SJSU Field.
The junior from San Ramon, Calif., recorded at least one strikeout in six innings and multiple strikeouts in five of her seven innings of work, including striking out the side in the sixth. Linford's previous single-game high came in her freshman season when she set down nine members of the Nevada Wolf Pack.
She tossed a complete game scattering five hits, with five walks and gave up just one run to improve her record to 9-10. She has won her last three starts and ties her single-season high in wins, which was also set in her freshman season.
The victory insures San José State (26-24, 15-7 MW) will finish the 2016 season in second-place in the Mountain West Conference. In each of its three years in the league, the Spartans have improved their position in the final standings. In 2014, the team finished in fourth place. Last year they moved up to third and in 2016 will be second.
The win also insures that the team's seniors will have never suffered a losing season as Spartans, the second class in a row to achieve that accomplishment.
The Spartans offense, which rapped out eight hits, scored three of its four runs via the long ball.
Senior Alyssa Martinez (2-for-3, R, 2 RBI HR) hit her sixth home run of the season, a two-run shot, in the bottom of the third to stake the Spartans to a 2-0 lead. The RBIs were the 100th and 101st of her career. Martinez becomes just the fifth player in SJSU history to record 100 or more RBIs in a career.
In the fourth, with runners on second and third and one out, pinch hitter Erin Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly to center field plating the Spartans third run of the game.
In the top of the fifth, New Mexico (23-24, 8-13 MW) scored its lone run. With one out and runners on second and third, Jasmine Casados hit a ball up the middle, which Martinez couldn't glove cleanly. Casados reached on the error and New Mexico scored on the play. The Lobos had runners on the corners, but Linford slammed the door recording her eighth and ninth strikeouts to end the threat.
In the fifth, Brittany Abacherli (1-for-4, 2 R, RBI, HR) added to her home run total with a solo-blast to straightaway centerfield to make the score 4-1. It was her team-leading 12th round-tripper of the year.
Senior Taylor Purdy led the Spartans with three of the team's eight hits.
The Spartans and Lobos play game two of its three game series on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on SJSU Field.
San Jose State 4, New Mexico 1 (May 12, 2016 at San Jose, Calif.)
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New Mexico.......... 000 010 0 - 1 5 1 (23-25, 8-13 MW)
San Jose State...... 002 110 X - 4 8 1 (26-24, 15-7 MW)
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Pitchers: New Mexico - ROBERT, Colette and GRAY, Jade. San Jose State - Linford, Katelyn and
Win-LINFORD, Katelyn(9-10) Loss-ROBERT, Colette(8-9) T-1:47 A-119
HR SJ - Abacherli, Brittany; Martinez, Alyssa.