By Ryan Barnhart:
San Jose State traveled to Fresno State (26-20, 6-8 in MW) over the weekend for a three-game series against the rival Bulldogs and came out victorious.
The Spartans (29-15, 9-6 in MW) had a weak start to the series, dropping the first game 8-2. Fresno State’s offense was in attack mode against starter Katelyn Linford early on, scoring three runs on three hits including a two-run homer in the second inning.
SJSU slowly chipped away at the deficit, scoring runs in the third and sixth innings to bring the score to 3-2.
The Bulldogs pulled away in the bottom of the sixth, however, all but sealing the game thanks in part to poor pitching and an untimely error from right fielder Casey Watt.
Linford (19-7) did not look sharp for the game, finishing with five earned runs and nine hits in 5⅓ innings.
The second game of the series was a much tighter affair as the Spartans got early offense with a run in the first inning off of a passed ball.
After a couple of clean innings from Spartan Colette Riggs and the Bulldogs’ Kamalani Dung, who replaced Fresno State starter Samantha Mejia, both offenses battled back and forth.
SJSU scored another run in the top of the fourth but Fresno State immediately responded by scoring twice in the bottom of the inning, tying the game.
The Spartans answered with another run in the fifth but the Bulldogs would do the same, resulting in a 3-3 tie heading into the sixth inning.
Dung followed two consecutive innings of giving up at least one run by loading the bases before walking in the game-winning run.
Pitching in relief, Linford threw better than she had the previous game, tossing two scoreless innings and grabbing the win for SJSU, 4-3.
For the rubbermatch of the series, the Spartans’ bats came alive as they outhit the Bulldogs by six en route to a 9-3 victory..
Watt, who celebrated her 23rd birthday on the same day, led the offensive onslaught going 2 for 4 with a pair of extra-base hits and knocking in three of the team’s nine runs.
Fresno State’s defense was sloppy throughout the afternoon, committing six errors, leading to five unearned runs.
Riggs and Linford pitched well on the day as the two combined to give up just three runs while striking out four batters — although, Riggs did walk four Bulldogs in her 3.2 innings pitched.
With two wins over the weekend, the Spartans are still in the hunt for first place in the Mountain West Conference.
The team trails Utah State (30-11, 12-5 MW) and is currently tied with San Diego State (25-15, 9-6 MW) for second place. SJSU will travel to New Mexico on Friday for a three-game series against the Lobos.