March 30, 2018
San Jose, Calif. - In San José State softball's 6-2 victory over the UNLV Rebels on Friday, freshman pitcher Caroline Bowman earned the win and in doing so set a record for a Spartans' pitcher to start a season.
In the complete game win, the native of Sammamish, Wash., improved to 12-1 this year. She scattered six hits, walked one and gave up two runs, both unearned. She passed Amanda Pridmore (2009-13), who opened the 2010 season with an 11-1 record, for the program's best start to a season.
Bowman retired the first six batters she faced before giving up a leadoff single in the third. In the fourth, the Rebels (20-12, 3-5 MW) put the first two batters on with two more singles, but Bowman induced a 6-4-3 double play, leaving a runner on third. She then got the next batter to ground out and strand the runner on third.
While Bowman was keeping UNLV in check in the circle, the offense got her an early lead. SJSU (23-10, 7-1 MW) scored twice and the first and tacked four more runs in the second.
In the bottom of the first, the Spartans loaded the bases on a hit by pitch, walk and infield single. A fielder's choice cut down the lead runner at home, but left the bases loaded.
Brittany Abacherli then hit a shot to the Rebels shortstop. She failed to field it cleanly; an error was charged and a run scored. Madison Aurin (1-for-3, RBI, 2B) then hit the first pitch she saw to short as well. UNLV took the out at second, which allowed the second Spartans run to cross the plate and SJSU was up 2-0.
In the second, the Spartans banged out five hits starting with a Rayohna Sagapolu (1-for-3, R, 2B) leadoff double. Alyssa Avila (1-for-2) followed Sagapolu with a single to put runners on the corners. Emma Entzminger (1-for-3, R, RBI) then singled in the first run of the inning. The hit chased UNLV starter Charlie Masterson (5-5). In an inning of work she gave up four hits and would be responsible for five of San José State's six runs.
Reliever Breana Burke got the first batter she faced, but not Cassidy Clark (2-for-4, 2R, RBI). The sophomore, who leads the team with a .406 average, singled down the left field line, which scored Entzminger. Georgia Blair (1-for-2, 2RBI, 2B) then broke the game open with a double into the left field corner. It scored two more runs and the Spartans led 6-0.
The score stayed 6-0 until the sixth.
UNLV loaded the bases on a pair of singles wrapped around a throwing error by Entzminger on a fielder's choice to shortstop. Another fielder's choice, this time to second, scored the first run of the game for UNLV and two batters later and infield single allowed the second run of the inning to score to make it 6-2 Spartans.
Both teams put runners on in the seventh, but neither scored and the Spartans came away with the 6-2 victory.
For the third time in as many Mountain West series this year, the Spartans have won the first two games. The team, who sit in first place in the conference standings, swept San Diego State in the conference opener, but dropped game three at Boise State last week.
The Spartans and Rebels wrap up their three game series on Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. at Mission College.
San Jose State 6, UNLV 2 (Mar 30, 2018 at Santa Clara, Calif.)
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UNLV................ 000 002 0 - 2 6 1 (20-12, 3-5 MW)
San Jose State...... 240 000 X - 6 8 2 (23-10, 7-1 MW)
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Pitchers: UNLV - MASTERSON,C.; BURKE,B.(2) and STOVER,B.. San Jose State - Bowman, Caroline and
Win-BOWMAN, Caroline(12-1) Loss-MASTERSON,C.(5-5) T-1:51 A-103
Weather: Sunny
MASTERSON,C. faced 3 batters in the 2nd.
Game: UNLV-SJ2