San Jose State Pitcher Lacie Ham-Photo Credit Kavin Mistry
By Aidan Bostic (@bostic_aidan) — Reporter
San Jose State softball finished a three-game series, 2-1, against New Mexico.
The Spartans lost game one 2-1, despite a pitching showcase by Caroline Bowman. Bowman had eight strikeouts through seven innings and kept the Lobos scoreless through regulation. However, in the top of the eighth Bowman gave up four hits and two RBIs which was all the Lobos needed to secure the win.
Jenessa Ullegue scored for the Spartans in the bottom of the eighth on an error. The Spartans had the tying run on third base, but the game was called after Ashley Rios collided with the Lobos third basemen on a pop-up.
“They didn’t beat us, we beat ourselves,” said head coach Tammy Lohmann. “We got to get back and get the next two and go out there and fight. If someone’s going to beat us, let them beat us, but let’s not beat ourselves.”
The Spartans came up short in game one, but they came back on Saturday with a sense of urgency.
In game two the Spartans shutout the Lobos in an 8-0 victory.
The game was scoreless through three innings, until the fourth inning when the Spartans’ bats caught on fire.
The Spartans scored five runs on seven hits in the bottom of the fourth and took a demanding 5-0 lead that the Lobos could not overcome.
Jillian Figueroa was 2-3 with three RBIs, and she hit a homerun to left center in the bottom of the fifth to give the Spartans a 7-0 lead. The eighth run was scored on an error by the Lobos.
In game two, Ullegue pitched a shutout with seven strikeouts and only allowed four hits and four walks through six innings.
“My team has my back behind me, and I have to do my job on both sides of the ball,” said Ullegue. “Trying to do what’s best for them and try to make them work as little as possible on defense.”
While the Spartans filled up the scoreboard in game two, game three may have been the most exciting of all.
The Lobos scored a run coming out of the gates in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead and it stayed that way until the bottom of the fifth.
In the bottom of the fifth, Alyssa Graham had an RBI to tie the game 1-1 and get the Spartans on the board. In the bottom of the sixth, Jocylyn Vidal followed this up with an RBI of her own to take the lead 2-1.
In a final push, the Lobos scored two runs in the top of seventh to give the Lobos a 3-2 lead and this put the pressure on the San Jose batters going into the bottom of the seventh.
After suffering two outs with their back against the wall, Graham was walked and Ullegue stepped up to the plate for what could have been the Spartans last at bat of the series. With a 2-2 count, Ullegue hit a clutch double allowing Graham to score and forcing extra innings.
“As soon as I’m on, I’m like I’m getting in no problem” said Alyssa Graham about Ullegue coming behind her in the rotation. “I feel so comfortable having her bat right behind me and being able to produce a run.”
Both teams were held scoreless until the bottom of the 11th. Graham singled to left field and Ullegue singled up the middle to send Graham to third base. Trenity Edwards hit a ground ball towards the mound, and it was just enough to allow Graham to score the walk-off run.
The Spartans won game three 4-3, in what was one of the Spartans’ longest games of the season.
The Spartans ended a back-and-forth series on a high note, and they are preparing to take on Colorado State in another three-game series starting March 25.