By Autumn Blue (@AutumnBlue3)— SB Beat Reporter
The San Jose State women’s softball team (20-27, 6-15 MW) closed out its three game series against the San Diego State Aztecs (33-12, 16-2 MW) Sunday afternoon. SJSU was swept.
The tone of the game was set relatively quickly. The Aztecs started with redshirt freshman catcher Mac Barbara who hit a hom erun on her second swing, 1-0. This would be Barbara’s 14th home run of the season.
The Spartans were trying to find their mojo during the first and second inning but could not seem to get far against SDSU’s senior pitcher Maggie Balint.
Balint knew exactly what she was doing against SJSU to keep them from getting a run. The Aztecs would continue their momentum in the top of the second with another run, 2-0.
The game would continue with SJSU unable to progress far and SDSU adding two more runs by the fourth inning, 4-0.
By the fifth inning you can feel the lack of energy not only from the Spartans but in the fans as well. With two losses from the Aztecs already this weekend, you could feel the motivation slowly diminishing. SDSU would add another run during the fifth, 5-0.
The sixth inning would be a slight changing point in the game. In the top of the sixth the bases were loaded for SDSU with one out remaining. Senior utility Nicole Siess took a chance to slide home but SJSU’s sophomore catcher Malia Luna quickly reacted and tapped her out.
SDSU’s coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz challenged this call with officials but the call would stay.
Once they played, the Spartans and fans were alive and ready to change the game narrative.
During the bottom of the sixth, senior pitcher Jenessa Ullegue tripled to the right field and got freshman center fielder Jules Ronquillo to the home plate. SJSU was finally on the scoreboard, 5-1.
The Aztecs would respond back during the seventh and had bases loaded. An uproar started once SDSU’s player had a batter’s interference once moving at one of the last seconds during a play.
The umpire originally called the interference as an out but once SDSU’s coach Deniz challenged the call the umpires then gathered and discussed and decided the call was misjudged.
The fans instantly started booing, it was clear that the umpires were in the wrong and no one was happy about the call in the end.
“I know it was a judgment call in his hand but I don’t think it was the correct call, let’s just say that,” says Lohmann.
The Aztecs would continue during the seventh with three scores to make it 8-1.
SJSU and fans were fired up after this the determination was back in the game. The Spartans had the bases loaded when senior third baseman Alyssa Graham went to the plate. Graham would add two RBIs when freshman Ashley Griffith advanced to third, 8-3.
“Whenever you have calls or plays that happen that are a little questionable I think sometimes that sparks people a little bit more and gets the fight going more, that’s how the game changes,” says Lohmann.
Unfortunately the pressure was on junior first baseman Karizma Bergesen to continue the adrenaline everyone was feeling but the pressure was a lot to handle.
The game would end 8-3, Aztecs win the final game during the three series game this weekend.
The Spartans will be taking a short trip to play Santa Clara University on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
