April 20, 2018
Fort Collins, Colo. - Whatever the San José State softball's offense was missing last weekend, it was found on Friday in the Spartans 20-4 run-rule drubbing of the Colorado State Rams.
The 20 runs are the most in a game in team history, surpassing the 19 scored in a win over Stanford in the 1993 season, and 16 hits equals the season high, which was set in a 15-6 victory over Cal State Fullerton on March 8.
San José State (26-14, 10-5 MW) had at least one hit in each of the five innings played and scored in all but the second.
SJSU hit two grand slams, among three homers. Desiree Reyes' third inning grand slam got long ball the party started. It was the first home run of her collegiate career. Right after Reyes touched home, Georgia Blair picked up her first round-tripper of the season on a solo shot down the right field line. Brittany Abacherli hit her sixth of the year, the team's second grand slam of the day and her sixth home run of the year in the fourth. Five players had multi-hit games and three drove in multiple runs.
The Spartans got on the board in the first and never looked back.
With runners on first and second, Madison Aurin (2-for-3, RBI, 2B, 2BB) singled over the head of the Rams centerfielder to drive in the first run of the day.
In the second, SJSU got a pair of hits, but left both runners stranded. It would be the last inning they didn't put a crooked number up on the scoreboard.
Reyes (2-for-3, 3R, 4RBI, GS) came up in the third, with one out and the bases loaded, and on a two-and-one count hammered a shot to left center to make the score 5-0.
Colorado State (23-13, 7-6 MW) lifted starter Bridgette Hutton (12-7) and brought in Larisa Petakoff. Petakoff's second offering to Blair (2-for-4, R, 2RBI, HR) went over the fence down the right field line to make it 6-0.
In the fourth the Spartans added eight more runs on six hits and a pair of Rams' errors.
Cassidy Clark (3-for-4, 2R, RBI, 2B) led off the inning with a single and Aurin followed her with a double. That ended the day for Petakoff and she made way for Kaylynn Pierce.
After an out and a walk, Reyes reached an error, which allowed two runs to score. Blair then singled in a run and a fielding error allowed a second run in making it 10-0 Spartans.
With a Reyes on and one out, Alyssa Avila (1-for-2, R, BB) and Emma Entzminger (2-for-4, R) hit back-to-back singles to load the bases. Abacherli (2-for-4, 3R, 6RBI, GS, 2B, BB) then pounded a two-and-two offering over the left field fence for a 14-0 lead.
In the fifth, the scoring continued with six more runs. SJSU opened the inning with back-to-back walks and a Grace Garvey (1-for-1, RBI, 2B) double to right center scored the first run. Two batters later Alexandra Luna walked to load the bases. Pinch hitter Mackenzie Drake (1-for-1, R, RBI) then singled in a run.
Abacherli doubled in two more to make it 18-0. Clark followed Abacherli with an RBI single and two batters later pinch hitter Kristen Heffley drove in the 20th run on a fielder's choice.
Aurin (12-10), who had limited the Rams to four hits through four innings, lost the shutout on a solo homer with one out in the bottom of the fifth. She scattered eight hits and gave up four runs, all the runs coming after the game was well in hand. Aurin needed just 72 pitches in earning the win.
For the game, the Spartans hit .500 (16-for-32), .480 (12-for-25) with runners on, and went 9-for-18 (.500) with runners in scoring position. With the bases loaded they were 4-for-6 (.667), 7-for-11 (.636) with a runner on third and less than two outs and pinch hitters were 2-for-4 (.500).
The teams are scheduled to return to the diamond on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. (MT) weather permitting.
San Jose State 20, Colorado State 4 (Apr 20, 2018 at Fort Collins, CO)
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San Jose State...... 105 86 - 20 16 0 (26-14, 10-5 MW)
Colorado State...... 000 04 - 4 8 2 (23-13, 7-6 MW)
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Pitchers: San Jose State - Aurin, Madison and Avila, Alyssa; Luna, Alexandra. Colorado State - HUTTON, B; PETAKOFF, L(3); PIERCE, K(4) and NELSON, A.
Win-AURIN, Madison(12-10) Loss-HUTTON, B(12-7) T-2:05 A-88
HR SJ - Abacherli, Brittany (7); Reyes, Desiree (1); Blair, Georgia (1).
HR CS - KLEIN, D (2).
Weather: Sunny. 43 Degrees. NE 15 mph.
PETAKOFF, L faced 2 batters in the 4th.
Game: SJ-CS1