Fresno, Calif. – The San José State softball team jumped on the Fresno State Bulldogs with a run in the first and cruised to a 4-2 win earning its second victory in the three game series and will go for a series sweep on Sunday.
"We are playing extremely well right now; probably the best we have this season," head coach Peter Turner said. "Our pitching is controlling the games and when we need it, they are picking each other up. Today this game was won in the circle and with defense."
For the second game in a row, Jenessa Ullegue (10-2) came out of the bullpen to earn the win. She replaced starter Madison Aurin to start the fourth and gave up three hits and one run. She walked and struck out three. Aurin came out with a 2-1 lead, after giving up three hits and one run. Because she didn't pitch the requisite four innings in a seven-inning game, Aurin did not figure in the decision.
It is also the second game in a row the Spartans (22-9, 2-0 MW) scored first against Fresno State. The win improves the team's season-high winning streak to 12 games.
Makayla Englestad (2-for-3, R, BB) singled to lead off the game, stole second, her fifth of the season, and went to third on an Arianna Miranda (1-for-4) single to left. Miranda moved into scoring position on a Cassidy Clark groundout and Englestad scored to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead after one inning, on a Madison Aurin (0-for-2, RBI, BB) sacrifice fly to center.
Kaelin Amrein (2-for-4, 2R, RBI, 2B) singled down the left field line to leadoff the second and got to third on an Alyssa Graham double to the gap in right center. Alyssa Avila (0-for-2, 2RBI) then reached on a fielder's choice to short. The Bulldogs shortstop chose to throw home to cut down the run, but her throw was high and Amrein scored to make it 2-0.
Avila moved up a base on an Englestad grounded out to third and Alyssa Graham (1-for-3, 2B) then popped out in shallow centerfield. Miranda faked coming down the line, but in the confusion Avila thought she was going home and advanced to third. That forced Miranda into a run down which ended the inning.
Fresno (15-11, 0-5 MW) cut the lead in half on a two-out single that scored a runner from second making it 2-1 Spartans after three innings.
SJSU got the run right back ultimately scoring two in the top of the fourth. Jacey Phipps reached on catcher's interference and then scored on an Amrein double to right center. Two batters later Amrein moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an Avila groundout to make it 4-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, with one out and a runner on first, Rayohna Sagapolu started a six, four, three double play which ended the inning and was the first of two outstanding defensive plays in the last two frames that helped to secure the win for the Spartans.
"That double play was one of the major keys to this victory," Turner said. "It left Fresno with its eight and nine hitters up first in the seventh."
Bulldogs got the leadoff hitter on in the seventh with a pinch-hit triple and two batters later scored its final run on a bloop single to left to make it 4-2. Down two runs with one out and a runner on first, Fresno State attempted to steal second. The runner was thrown out on a frozen rope from Avila to Clark. Ullegue then induced a groundout to first base for the final out.
The Spartans outhit Fresno State 8-to-6 and was set down in order only once in the game, in the third inning. In the first, second and fourth innings SJSU got the leadoff runner on and in each time that runner came around to score.
The series wraps up on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 p.m.