May 3, 2016
San Jose, Calif. - The San José State Spartans travel to Boise State this week looking to get back to the winning ways after being swept last week in a conference series for the first time in four seasons.
San José State (22-24, 11-7 MW)
at
Boise State Broncos (13-33, 5-13 MW)
May 6 - 4:00 p.m. (MT); May 7 - 4:00 p.m. (MT); May 8 - 12:00 p.m. (MT)
Dona Larsen Park (500) - Boise, Idaho
LIVE STATS: Game Tracker (www.sjsuspartans.com)
VIDEO: Spartan Digital/Mountain West Network
QUICK HITS
MARTINEZ CLIMBS INTO TOP-5 ON RBI LIST
Alyssa Martinez (Sr., INF, Wasco, Calif.) wasn't even on the program's list of its top-10 run producers list heading into this year, but with a 3-run home run in the Spartans 12-8 win at Nevada (4/24) she equaled Victoria Ruelas (92 RBI from 1995-97) for fifth place all-time. Martinez drove in two more in the team's Fresno State series and now holds the spot alone with 94 career-RBIs.
FANTASTIC FRESHMAN
Madison Aurin (Fr., INF, Bakersfield, Calif.) has made 14 starts and appeared in 16 of the team's 18 conference matches at first base. She is hitting .370 (20-for-54), has scored 15 runs and only struck out two times. Aurin is tied the for the team lead with seven homers and ranks second in RBI (23) and slugging percentage (.796). She has recorded a team-high 93 putouts and has a fielding percentage of .990.
SOPHOMORE SENSATION
Brittany Abacherli (So., OF, Corona, Calif.) has gone from defensive replacement and pinch running specialist last season, to one of the most feared leadoff hitters in the conference. Her batting average went from .103 last year to .356 through the team's 46 games this season. She leads team in runs (45), homers (10), RBI (45), walks (23) and has yet to be caught in a stolen base attempt (12-for-12). In additon, she ranks second in hits (53), triples (2), slugging percentage (.658) and is third in doubles (11). In MW play she has upped the ante even more...going 24-for-58 (.414) and is either first or second in runs, doubles, triples, homers, walks and steals.
HUFSTETLER'S RECORD BOOK ASSAULT
Jessie Hufstetler (Sr., INF, Atascadero, Calif.) has staked her claim to being one of the best hitters in San José State history, ranking in the top-3 of 12 career offensive categories including the career-leader in eight.
Category Rank Total (Record)
Batting Average 1 .389
Slugging % 1 .643
On-Base % 1 .488
Doubles 1 54
Walks 1 90
Hit by Pitch 1 33
RBI 1 181
Total Bases 1 383
Home Runs T2 27 (35)
Runs 2 131 (164)
Sacrifice Flies 2 9 (10)
Hits 3 232 (266)
DOUBLE-DIGIT HITS LEAD TO GOOD THINGS
In 46 games this year SJSU has reached double-digit hits 22 times including 13-of-18 Mountain West games. When the Spartans bang out at least 10 hits in a game they are 17-5, including a 10-3 in conference play.
SPARTANS SWEEP CONFERENCE AWARDS TWICE
With the naming of Brittany Abacherli (So., OF, Corona, Calif.) and Katelyn Linford (Jr., RHP, San Ramon, Calif.) the Player and Pitcher of the Week in the Mountain West (4/26), San José State is the only team, in the nine-team Mountain West Conference, to have swept the league's weekly awards two times this season. On April 5 Colette Riggs (Jr., RHP, Yorba Linda, Calif.) and Jessie Hufstetler (Sr., INF, Atascadero, Calif.) did the deed.
LEADING THE MW IN POW HONORS
Between Brittany Abacherli (So., OF, Corona, Calif.), Katelyn Linford (Jr., RHP, San Ramon, Calif.), Colette Riggs (Jr., RHP, Yorba Linda, Calif.) and Jessie Hufstetler (Sr., INF, Atascadero, Calif.) Spartans players have logged a Mountain West Conference high five Player/Pitcher of the Week honor, more than any other school in the league.
NATIONAL HONORS FOR HUFSTETLER
Hours after Jessie Hufstetler (Sr., INF, Atascadero, Calif.) earned Mountain West Player of the Week honors on April 5, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and USA Softball selected her for each organization's weekly recognition.
The NFCA named her its Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Player of the Week and USA Softball announced she was their Collegiate Player of the Week.
Hufstetler is the first Spartan to be honored with either USA Softball or NFCA's weekly national award.
ON THE RIGHT TRACK
In the first five weeks of the season, the Spartans failed to post a winning record in any tournament in which they competed, and only twice won as many as two games in a seven-day stretch.
However, in a 23-game stretch, from March 5 through April 24, the Spartans went 17-6, which included three-game sweeps of UNLV and Nevada.
In that 23-game stretch SJSU has averaged 8.7 runs per game.
THIS TEAM CAN SWING THE SHILLELAGH
Once again, the Spartans boast the most potent offense in the Mountain West. San José State leads the league in team batting average (.327), slugging percentage (.512), runs (309), hits (418), RBI (279), doubles (84) and sacrifice flies (15).
In addition, they rank second in on-base percentage (.411), triples (10), total bases (654) and being hit by pitches (38).
THESE LADIES CAN SWING THE SHILLELAGH
San José State has nine players who have started at least 20 games this season and eight are batting at least .290. Jessica Madrid (Sr., OF, Santa Ana, Calif.) leads the team with a .396 average. Taylor Purdy (Sr., INF, Barstow, Calif.) is the only Spartan to appear in and start every game this year and ranks second with a .366 average.
In total, SJSU has seven players who are hitting above .300 for the year.
In conference play that number goes up to 10. Madrid leads the team with a gaudy .476 average. Two other Spartans are at .400 or above: Jessie Hufstetler (.459) and Brittany Abacherli (.414). Seven others are at or above .300.
SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
Boise State starts the week with an overall record of 13-33, 5-13 in conference play. The team dropped two-of-three last weekend to New Mexico and currently sits in last place in the Mountain West standing.
Teauna Hughes leads Boise State with a .367 batting average and 10 doubles and 39 RBI. Hughes is tied with Rebekah Cervantes for the team lead in home runs (9).
In the circle, Nicole Wilson has taken the ball a team-high 29 times and made 13 starts, which also leads the team. She is 6-9 with a 5.25 ERA over 101.1 innings of work.
Head coach Cindy Ball, who brought a 12-42 record from her lone season in Boise State into the 2016 season, leads the Bulldogs.
In the all-time series, the Broncos hold an 8-9 advantage. In games contested in Boise, the Spartans trail 2-4 all-time.