By Daniel Reedy:
After conceding zero earned runs through 14 innings, San Jose State (26-14, 6-5 in MW) leads the series against Boise State 2-0.
Senior Collette Riggs tossed a shutout Friday afternoon en route to a 1-0 victory over the Broncos (24-14, 6-8 in MW).
“The umpire had a good zone,” Riggs said. “I was able to roll in with the curve and come in with the rise hard to jam them.”
Riggs is now 7-3 after the shutout, striking out seven, walking none and allowing just 2 hits. She did plunk two Broncos, bringing her season total for hit batsman to 9 — nearly half the teams total despite throwing less than a quarter of the team’s innings.
The Broncos managed to get just 5 baserunners but they weren’t the only team that struggled at the plate.
“We needed Riggs’ outing today because we just couldn’t hit the ball today,” said head coach Peter Turner.
SJSU’s lineup got just 2 hits and stranded seven runners in the game. The Spartans scored the team’s only run on a bases-loaded walk by catcher Alexandra Luna in the fourth inning. Obviously, that was the only run the Spartans needed but they can’t expect to be successful with so little production.
“We need to have better approaches at the plate,” said left fielder Chelsea Jenner. “We need to have a better mental approach.”
In that pivotal fourth inning, Madison Aurin singled and was sent to third by a double off the bat of Jenner. Emma Entzminger got beaned and Luna advanced them each a base with a walk for the only run of the game.
In yesterday’s contest, Katelyn Linford also threw a complete game, giving up zero earned runs but didn’t get the shutout as the Broncos posted two unearned runs in the fourth inning.
Left fielder Izzy Serrano is the only Bronco with hits in both games of the series.
“If we want to win the championship, then this series is huge,” Turner said.
With two down and one to go for the sweep, SJSU will host Boise State one more time for a noon matchup Saturday.