SANTA CLARA, Calif. - San Jose State softball's offense came to life to the tune of 10 runs on 10 hits as the Spartans cruised to a 10-3 win over Santa Clara on Saturday to put an end to their five-game losing skid.
The Spartans (4-10) wasted little time getting the bats going, jumping out to a 3-0 lead after three innings. Jocyln Vidal plated the game's first run on sacrifice fly in the second, and in the third, Alyssa Graham followed suit with a sac fly of her own. Janessa Lozano added the third run on her second of three hits in the game, an infielder single that plated Jillian Figueroa.
The fifth inning saw SJSU break the game wide open as Lozano plated Figueroa for the second time in as many at bats with another RBI single. The senior from Whittier, Calif., finished the contest 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored. One batter later, Karizma Bergesen scored two more on a deep 2-RBI double to right-center to give the Spartans a 6-0 advantage.
After Santa Clara got a run back in the home half of the fifth, the Spartans tacked on four more in the seventh. Sophomore Jackie Rookaird pinch hit and scored Figueroa on a sacrifice fly. Vidal then put an exclamation point on the scoreboard by launching a 3-run home run that cleared the field in left. Vidal finished the game with four RBI and a run scored.
The offensive showcase was a welcome sight for the Spartans after being held to just four hits and one run against the same Santa Clara just one day prior.
Jenssa Ullegue also had a big game in the circle for SJSU, working 4.1 innings with just one run allowed on six hits. The junior from Ventura worked around several sticky situations including the very first inning in which she bounced back from surrendering a lead-off triple to leave the runner stranded after inducing a groundout, lineout and flyout. She picked up the win to improve to 4-3 on the season. Caroline Bowman worked the final 2.2 innings in relief duty, allowing two runs on three hits with a strikeout.
Santa Clara was led offensively by Ashley Trierweiler, who was 4-for-4 with a RBI and run scored. Bronco starer Lauren Anderson (1-1) was charged with the loss after allowing three runs, all earned, on five hits in 3.0 innings.
The Spartans return to action next weekend as they open conference play with a road trip to Fresno to take on the Bulldogs of Fresno State.