March 24, 2018
Boise, Idaho - After a combined two runs and nine hits in the opening game of a three game series, the San José State and Boise State softball teams made up for it on Saturday banging out 44 hits and scoring 32 runs in splitting a doubleheader.
In game one SJSU won 13-7, but the Broncos came back in game two and defeated San José State 10-2 in five innings.
The split means the Spartans (21-10, 5-1 MW) earned the series win and are alone in first place in the Mountain West. BSU (19-10, 4-2 MW) is in second place.
Game 1 - San José State 13, Boise State 7
The Spartans had 14 hits, the team's second highest output this year, off four Bronco pitchers and cruised to a 13-7 victory in the first game of the day.
SJSU scored in five of the seven innings and got things going from its first at bat. Emma Entzminger (3-for-3, 4R, 3B) led off with a triple to right and scored on a Kaelin Amrein (2-for-3, 3R, RBI) sacrifice fly.
The Broncos answered in the bottom of the frame on a solo home run from Rebekah Cervantes.
The Spartans went back in front in the third and never looked back. Broncos' starter Gianna Mancha walked the first three batters in the inning. With the bases loaded, Georgia Blair (2-for-5, R, 2RBI, 2B) doubled to left driving in two. Mancha was out and pitcher number two, Veronica Lynch, was in.
Brittany Abacherli (3-for-4, R, 5RBI, HR) singled in the third run of the inning and after a walk the bases were loaded again. Madison Aurin (2-for-4, R, RBI, HR) then walked to plate the fourth run and SJSU had a 5-1 lead.
The Spartans got two more runs in the fourth. With the bases loaded, Abacherli singled in her second run of the game. Another walk loaded the bases and Desiree Reyes (1-for-3, RBI, 2B) walked to plate the second run making it 7-1 Spartans.
Boise State got both runs back in the bottom of the inning on three hits and a Spartans' error.
In the top of the fifth with a runner on second, Cassidy Clark (1-for-3, 2R, 2RBI, HR) blasted a homer to left. It was her fourth of the season and put SJSU up 9-3.
The Spartans and Broncos both scored four runs in each half of the seventh inning for the final score of 13-7. Abacherli had the big hit for San José State, a three-run round tripper and Aurin smacked a solo shot to left center, her ninth of the year. Abacherli finished with five RBIs, a single-game career high.
Caroline Bowman (11-0) pitched 4.0 innings, giving up five hits and three runs, and earned the win, her 11th straight to start her career. She tied Amanda Pridmore (2009-13) for the best start to a season by a Spartans' pitcher. Pridmore started 2010 with 11 straight victories. Aurin came on in the fifth and finished the game. She allowed seven hits and four runs.
San Jose State 13, Boise State 7 (Mar 24, 2018 at Boise, Idaho) (Game 1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
San Jose State...... 104 220 4 - 13 14 3 (21-9, 5-0 MW)
Boise State......... 100 200 4 - 7 12 1 (18-10, 3-2 MW)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: San Jose State - Bowman, Caroline; AURIN, Madison(5) and Avila, Alyssa. Boise State -
MANCHA, G.; LYNCH, V.(3); LEAL, M.(4); BIVENS, T.(7) and SULLIVAN, M..
Win-BOWMAN, Caroline(11-0) Loss-MANCHA, G.(8-3) T-3:42 A-115
HR SJ - Clark, Cassidy; Abacherli, Brittany; Aurin, Madison.
HR BSU - CERVANTES, R.
Weather: 47 degrees, sunny
MANCHA, G. faced 4 batters in the 3rd.
LEAL, M. faced 2 batters in the 7th.
Game: SJ-BSU2
Game 2 - Boise State 10, San José State 2 (5 innings)
Desiree Severance got her first start in Mountain West play and went 4.0 innings scattering eight hits and giving up two runs, but didn't figure into the decision.
The Spartans scored first on a one-out solo homer from Kaelin Amrein (1-for-2, R, RBI, HR) in the top of the third. It was her fourth of the season and staked SJSU to a 1-0 lead.
Boise State got the run back in the fourth on three hits, but they left the bases loaded.
In the top of the fifth SJSU went back in front. With runners at the corners, Madison Aurin (1-for-1, RBI) singled up the middle to put the Spartans back in front 2-1.
The Broncos got a leadoff single to open its half of the fifth, which spelled the end for Severance. Bowman came on in relief, but nothing went right from that point on. Boise State would score nine runs on a total of nine hits and a pair of SJSU errors to run-rule San José State 10-2.
Bowman (11-1) took the loss giving up eight hit and eight runs, but just three were earned. It is the first loss of her collegiate career.
Boise State 10, San Jose State 2 (Mar 24, 2018 at Boise, Idaho) (Game 2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
San Jose State...... 001 01 - 2 2 2 (21-10, 5-1 MW)
Boise State......... 000 19 - 10 16 0 (19-10, 4-2 MW)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: San Jose State - Severance, Desiree; BOWMAN, Caroline(5) and Luna, Alexandra.
Boise State - BROADUS, K. and PEARSON, S..
Win-BROADUS, K.(7-4) Loss-BOWMAN, Caroline(11-1) T-1:45 A-185
HR SJ - Amrein, Kaelin.
Weather: 47 degrees, sunny
SEVERANCE faced 1 batter in the 5th.
Game: SJ-BSU3
SJSU returns home next week for a three-game series against UNLV. The series is scheduled for Thursday through Saturday at Mission College. First pitch for each game is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.