April 10, 2015
SAN DIEGO -
SJSU 10, SDSU 9 | VIDEO REPLAY
San Diego State's late rally came up short in a 10-9 loss to San José State Friday night at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (27-15) slipped into a first-place tie with Fresno State in the Mountain West standings at 10-3 with the setback.
Down, 10-5, heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, SDSU scored two runs on an RBI single by sophomore Jaylene Ignacio (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino HS) and a bases-loaded walk by junior Leia Ruiz (Chino, Calif.).
After San Diego State freshman relief pitcher Taylor Stewart (Bellflower, Calif.) retired the Spartans' (27-14, 7-3 MW) 3-4-5 hitters in order in the top of the seventh, senior Kayla Jordan (San Diego/Bonita Vista HS) led off the bottom of the seventh with a home run over the right field wall. After a strikeout, senior Lorena Bauer (San Diego/Steele Canyon HS) hit a high fly ball that was fielded at the wall by SJSU right fielder Michelle Cox. Freshman Jenavee Peres (Garden Grove, Calif.) kept the game alive when she blasted a 0-2 pitch well over the center field fence to bring the tying run to the plate. San José State's Allison Lang, however, who started the game, came back into the game and got the Aztecs on a swinging strikeout to hold onto the 10-9 win.
In a game that featured five lead changes, 21 runners left on base and five errors (four by SDSU), the Spartans outhit San Diego State, 16-11. The difference in the game was hitting in run-scoring situations as the Aztecs batted just .313 (5-for-16) with runners on base (SJSU was 11-for-24 (.429)), .333 (5-for-15) with runners in scoring position (San José State was 9-for-19 (.474)) and 0-for-7 (.000) with the bases loaded (the Spartans were 1-for-2 (.500)).
Senior Hayley Miles (Antelope, Calif.) had three hits, including a triple, to lead the SDSU offense.
Jordan and Peres both had a homer and a double apiece, with Jordan reaching base safely four times on two hits, a walk and a hit by pitch, while adding three runs and an RBI. Peres finished the game with three RBIs and a run.
Bauer singled, drew two walks and scored a run, Ignacio added an RBI single and a walk, and junior Kayla Bufardeci (Castro Valley, Calif.) recorded a single and a walk.
San Diego State sophomore Erica Romero (Corona, Calif.), who came into the game ranked first in the nation in wins (25), appearances (39) and innings pitched (209.0), took the loss after allowing seven runs (six earned) on 12 hits, two walks and a hit batter over 4 1/3 innings. She struck out two.
Sophomore Sydnee Cable (Huntington Beach, Calif.) gave up three runs (one earned) on four hits over 1 2/3 innings of relief, while Stewart pitched the perfect seventh.
Jessica Madrid led the SJSU offense with four hits, including three doubles, two RBIs and two runs.
Game two of the weekend series is set for 6 p.m. PT Saturday.
San José State 10, San Diego State 9
San José State (27-14, 7-3 MW) 101 233 0 -- 10 16 1
San Diego State (27-15, 10-3 MW) 030 202 2 -- 9 11 4
Lang, Linford (4), Fish (6), Lang (7) and Entzminger; Romero, Cable (5), Stewart (7) and Peres
W - Linford, 5-3; L - Romero, 25-12; SV - Lang, 6
HR: San Diego State, Jordan (5), Peres (4)