April 16, 2016
SAN JOSE, Calif. -
The San Diego State softball team gave up six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning with two outs in a 9-2 loss at San José State Saturday afternoon in San Jose, Calif. The Aztecs dipped to 23-19 overall and 5-9 in Mountain West play, while the Spartans improved to 19-20 and 8-3.
Sophomore Jenavee Peres (Garden Grove, Calif.) brought the Aztecs to within a run at 3-2 in the top of the sixth inning with a solo home run well over the left-field fence. It was her team-leading ninth homer in just her 26th game of the season (24th start).
SJSU broke open a close game with six runs in the bottom half with two outs when Jessica Madrid's bases loaded double scored all three runs. Jessie Hufstetler followed with a double to put San José State up, 7-2. Madison Aurin singled and Taylor Purdy then doubled off the left-field fence for the final two runs for the Spartans.
SDSU got on the scoreboard first in the first when junior Sydnee Cable's (Huntington Beach, Calif.) looping single down the left-field line scored senior Samantha Camello (Temecula, Calif.). Camello had led off the game with a walk and got to third on a single by senior Leia Ruiz (Chino, Calif.) and a fielder's choice grounder by freshman Molly Sturdivant (Santa Ana, Calif.).
Purdy tied it for SJSU in the second with a one-out homer over the left-field fence. San José State then loaded the bases off junior Ashley Ercolano (Poway, Calif./Poway HS) on an Alyssa Martinez walk, an Emma Entzminger infield single and an Alyssa Avila check-swing single. Sophomore Alex Formby (Orange, Calif.) replaced Ercolano in the circle, and struck out Chelsea Jenner looking and got Brittany Abacherli to ground into a fielder's choice to get out of the inning.
The Spartans threatened again in the fourth as Purdy and Martinez each singled and moved up a base on an outfield throw. Formby then got Entzminger to ground out to Sturdivant at third base, before pinch-hitter Anissa Pinedo hit a sacrifice fly to score Purdy with the go-ahead run. Formby got out of the inning by getting Jenner to fly out to junior Jaylene Ignacio (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino HS) in center field.
In the fifth, Madrid reached on a one-out infield single for SJSU and Hufstetler followed with a double off the right-field wall to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Madrid would score on a sacrifice fly by Madison Aurin, before Formby struck out Purdy swinging.
San Diego State was outhit, 12-3, in the contest. Cable was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk, while Peres and Ruiz had the Aztecs' other hits. Camello walked and scored a run in the game.
Formby (9-8) took the loss after allowing six runs on six hits and two walks over 4 1/3 inning, while striking out four. Ercolano earned the start and yielded one run on three hits and a walk over 1 1/3 innings, striking out one. Freshman Julie McDonald (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad HS) gave up two runs on three hits, striking out one for her lone recorded out.
The rubber game of the series is noon PT Sunday.
San José State 9, San Diego State 2
San Diego State (23-19, 5-9 MW) 100 001 0 -- 2 3 1
San José State (19-20, 8-3 MW) 010 116 x -- 9 12 1
Ercolano, Formby (2), McDonald (6) and Orlando; Linford, Rogers (7) and Avila
W - Linford, 5-8; L - Formby, 9-8
HR: San Diego State, Peres (9); San José State, Purdy (2)