SAN JOSE, Calif. – Reina Zermeno had six hits, three RBIs, three runs scored and her fourth home run of the season to lead San José State softball (11-13, 0-0 MW) in a game one 7-6 walk-off win and a game two 7-2 loss against Princeton (4-7, 0-0 Ivy League) from Spartan Softball Stadium Sunday afternoon.
Game 1: Spartans Secure Walk-Off Victory
The opening game saw an intense back-and-forth battle, with the Spartans overcoming an early deficit to claim a thrilling 7-6 win in eight innings. After trailing 4-0 in the fifth, SJSU rallied with a three-run homer from Zermeno to even the score.
Heading into extra innings tied at 4-4, Princeton took the lead with two unearned runs in the top of the eighth, but the Spartans responded in the bottom half. A bases-loaded walk drawn by Zermeno cut the deficit to one before Ahmiya Noriega and Shay McDowell delivered back-to-back RBI singles to seal the walk-off win.
Pitcher Mia Reynolds (6-7) earned the victory in relief, holding Princeton scoreless in the final frame.
Game 2: Princeton Evens the Series
In the second game, Princeton capitalized on early opportunities, scoring six runs in the middle innings en route to a 7-2 win. The Tigers’ Graciela Dominguez led the way with four hits and three runs scored, while Cassidy Shaw (3-2) held the Spartans to just two runs over 5.1 innings.
Despite strong offensive efforts from Zermeno, who recorded three hits and a triple, and Noriega, who stole a base and scored a run, SJSU struggled to find the big hits needed to mount a comeback.
- Zermeno hit .600 with one home run, two triples, one double, with nine hits, four runs scored and four RBIs plus a 1.133 slugging pct. over the four games this week
- McDowell hit .429 with six hits and a game-winning RBI over the four games this week
- McDowell went 4-for-8 against Princeton on Sunday
- The teams combined to leave 49 runners on base in the two games
- The first game was delayed 48 minutes due to an injury
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UP NEXT: The Spartans head to New Mexico for a three-game series against the Lobos to start Mountain West Conference play on Friday.
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