San Jose, Calif. – After taking the first three games of the season, including its first two in the 2019 Lion Classic in Hammond, La., the San José State softball team couldn't keep the momentum going and dropped its last three games of the season's opening weekend.
Southern Illinois 6, San José State 1
Southern Illinois (2-2) scored twice in the third inning and never looked back in a 6-1 victory over the Spartans (3-1).
The Salukis used an RBI double and a sacrifice fly off starter Caroline Bowman (1-1), who went 4.1 innings and gave up nine hits and six runs, to grab a 2-0 lead.
In the San José State fourth, Makayla Englestad (2-for-3, R, 2B) led off with a single and two batters later moved into scoring position on a Madison Aurin (2-for-3) single. Alyssa Graham (1-for-3, RBI 2B) then doubled to right center on the first pitch she saw, plating Englestad and cutting the deficit in half, 2-1.
However, the game was put out of reach in the fifth. Southern Illinois scored four runs on five hits and two Spartans errors to forge a 6-1 lead, which would be the final score.
One bright spot in the circle was freshman Carley Morfey. In her first collegiate appearance she tossed 1.2 innings of no-hit relief.
Nicholls State 3, San José State 2
The Spartans (3-2) staked Jenessa Ullegue to a 2-0 lead after four innings. She struck out eight and scattered six hits in a complete game effort, giving up three runs, only one of which was earned in the 3-2 loss.
Ullegue (1-1) faced just one batter above the minimum through the first four innings. Kaelin Amrein (1-for-3, R, RBI, HR) led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer to left center. Three batters later Georgia Blair (1-for-3, R, RBI, HR) also homered to put the Spartans up 2-0.
In the top of the fifth, Nicholls State (2-1) got both runs back. They got a one-out solo homer and two batters later picked up a two-out single. A Blair fielding error at shortstop kept the inning alive and a single by the next batter allowed an unearned run to score to tie the game, 2-2.
With one out in the top of the seventh, Nicholls State got a single to right, but a fielding error by Arianna Mirando allowed the runner to get to second base. The next batter singled to left center to drive in what would be the winning run.
In addition to Amrein and Blair, Makayla Englestad, Carley Morfey and Mirando singled in the game. Madison Aurin had a double.
Nicholls State 4, San José State 2
Nicholls State scored four times in the first five innings en route to a 4-2 victory.
Starter Chrys Hildebrand (1-1) lasted just 1.1 innings giving up three runs on four hits.
A leadoff walk and RBI double gave Nicholls State (3-1) a 1-0 lead after one. In the second, the Colonels had runners on second and third with one out when another RBI double plated two more runs and ended Hildebrand's day.
Caroline Bowman came on in relief and recorded the last two outs to end the inning with SJSU down 3-0.
Bowman held Nicholls State in check until the fifth when she gave up a lead off single. The runner then stole second and was able to get to third on a throwing error by catcher Alyssa Avila. The next batter grounded out to shortstop, but the run was able to score unearned and the Colonels had a 4-0 lead.
The Spartans (3-3) sliced the lead in half in the top of sixth. SJSU loaded the bases with one out on a Nicholls State error, which was sandwiched between a pair of walks. A wild pitch allowed one run to score and a fielder's choice plated the second. San Jose State pulled to within 4-2, but would get no closer.
The Spartans got two hits each from Cassidy Clark and Arianna Mirando. Makayla Englestad and Kaelin Amrein scored the Spartans two runs.