March 18, 2017
Stockton, Calif. - For the second day in a row the Nevada batters couldn't figure out San José State pitcher Katelyn Linford. Yesterday, in winning 2-0, she threw a one-hitter and today tossed a no-hitter to defeat the Wolf Pack 8-0 in five innings.
The no-no is the 12th in San José State softball history and the first since Courtney Lewis defeated Grambling 6-0 in the 2005 season.
Despite not being her sharpest early on, she hit a batter in the second inning and gave up a walk in the third for her only blemishes on the day, she struck out seven and has a total of 18 in 12 innings of work over the last two games against Nevada. Both base runners got on with one out, but neither got any farther than first base.
The win, the team's ninth in a row, improves Linford's record to 13-2 on the year. She has a 1.74 ERA in 100.2 innings and has struck out 108 batters while surrendering just 19 walks. In her last seven starts, all complete-game victories, Linford has given up four earned runs over 48 innings for a 0.58 ERA while striking out 44.
While Linford wasn't her sharpest early on, the SJSU offense was there to pick her up. The Spartans (19-9, 2-0 MW) had at least one hit in each inning and got on the board with a two-run second.
With two outs and Chelsea Jenner on first, a pitch hit Emma Entzminger and Kristen Heffley walked to load the bases. Casey Watt (1-for-2, R, 2RBI) hit a laser shot up the middle which Nevada shortstop Sienna Swain dove and stopped, but with the runners going Jenner and Entzminger scored to get San José State out to a 2-0 lead.
In the third, Georgia Blair (1-for-2, R, RBI, HR) crushed a shot to straightaway center field for her third home run of the season and a 3-0 SJSU lead.
In the top of the fourth, Linford took over. She struck out the side swinging with all three Wolf Pack hitters failing to get a bat on any of her pitches. After Linford did her job in the circle, the Spartans' offense broke the game open.
Facing the second Nevada (14-12, 0-2 MW) pitcher of the day, Jenner led off with a single and Entzminger (0-1, 2R) reach on an error. Two batters later, Watt was hit to load the bases. Brittany Abacherli (1-for-2, R, 3RBI, 2B) unloaded them with a bases clearing double into the gap in left center for a 6-0 lead. San José State reloaded the bases and Cassidy Clark (0-for-2, RBI) hit a sacrifice fly to right which scored Abacherli , fourth run of the inning, and pushed the SJSU advantage to 7-0.
Linford then set the Wolf Pack down in order for the third time in the game and the offense was right back up to the plate.
Jenner (2-for-3, 3R, RBI, HR), the lead off batter, didn't waste any time. She deposited a 2-2 offering down the left field line for her first home run of the year, third of her career and the game ending run.
Nevada used three pitchers with starter Amanda Geil (1-1) taking the loss.
The teams wrap up the series on Sunday with first pitch set for 12:00 p.m.
San Jose State 8, Nevada 0 (Mar 18, 2017 at Stockton, Calif.)
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Nevada.............. 000 00 - 0 0 1 (14-12, 0-2 mw)
San Jose State...... 021 41 - 8 7 0 (19-9, 2-0 mw)
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Pitchers: Nevada - GEIL, A; RODRIGUEZ, R(4); SARGENT, K(5) and NICHOLAS, A. San Jose State -
Linford, Katelyn and Avila, Alyssa.
Win-LINFORD, Katelyn(13-2) Loss-GEIL, A(1-1) T-1:13 A-284
HR SJ - Blair, Georgia (3); Jenner, Chelsea (1).
SARGENT, K faced 1 batter in the 5th.
Game: NV-SJ2