Albuquerque, N.M.—For the third consecutive game, the Spartans scored at least 10 runs as the San José State softball team shut out New Mexico for the second consecutive game in a 10-0 win at the Lobo Softball Field on Sunday.
Prior to the New Mexico series, the Spartans had not scored double-digit runs in any game this season or the final eight of the 2018 season. This weekend, the team scored 10 runs on Friday and Sunday and 11 runs on Saturday.
See how the Spartans scored all of their runs in the 10-0 win in six innings over New Mexico. Coming home this week to finish the regular season vs. Nevada. Thursday at 3 p.m., Friday and Saturday at noon. See you at Spartan Softball Field! pic.twitter.com/3mFzKHJjjg
— SJSU Softball (@SanJoseStateSB) May 5, 2019
The Spartans scored all 10 runs in just three innings Sunday – first, second and sixth. In the first, Rayohna Sagapolu started the game with a single to center field. With one out, Madison Aurin walked to put two Spartans on base. Cassidy Clark drew a walk to load the bases, and Arianna Miranda doubled to left field to score Sagapolu and Aurin for the 2-0 lead.
In the second inning, Alyssa Graham drew a walk, advanced to second on a Lobo error, went to third on a Grace Garvey fly out to left and scored on a Sagapolu double to center field to make the score 3-0.
Eleven Spartans went to the plate in the sixth inning as the team scored seven runs. Jenessa Ullegue started the inning with a single to short and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Clark walked for the second time to put two Spartans on base. Miranda then doubled to right center to score Ullegue. Kaelin Amrein then walked to load the bases, and Alyssa Graham drew another walk to score Clark.
After a Lobo pitching change, on the first pitch to pinch hitter Jacey Phipps, Taylor Tiger, running for Miranda, scored on a wild pitch. Phipps then walked, and Sagapolu recorded her third hit of the day to drive in two more runs. With two outs, Aurin singled up the middle to score Garvey who had re-entered the game. Sagapolu then scored her second run of the day as Ullegue made her second plate appearance of the inning and hit into a fielder's choice and beat the throw to first.
Not to be lost in all of the scoring is the pitching performance by Caroline Bowman. She improved her record to 12-6 on the season with her19th game started. She pitched her sixth complete game of the year and allowed just four hits in 22 batters faced. Bowman struck out three in her second shutout of the season. For the weekend, Bowman went 2-0 in 9.1 innings pitched, allowing six hits, two unearned runs and struck out four.
San José State improves to 35-15 on the season. The team is alone in second place in the MW standings at 15-6, three games behind Colorado State who finished the MW season at 18-6. Boise State is third at 12-9, followed by UNLV at 11-9.
The Spartans return to Spartan Softball Field for the final three regular-season games this week. The team hosts Nevada on Thursday at 3 p.m., and Friday and Saturday at noon. Please note the time change of Thursday's game. Tickets are available at the gate for all three games.
San Jose State 10, New Mexico 0
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San Jose State...... 210 007 - 10 7 1 (35-15, 15-6 MW)
New Mexico.......... 000 000 - 0 4 1 (12-38, 3-18 MW)
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Pitchers: San Jose State - BOWMAN, Caroline and GARVEY, Grace. New Mexico - FERGUSON, Kennedy; KLITZKE, Bailey(4) and BRODERICK, Sydney. Win-BOWMAN, Caroline(12-6) Loss-FERGUSON, Kennedy(4-14) T-1:54 A-465. KLITZKE faced 5 batters in the 6th.
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