By Abel Tariku (@AT_TheSpear) – Spear Reporter
San Jose State softball (4-5) beat Cal Poly (1-8) 6-4 in the second game of its doubleheader. It is on a four-game winning streak and is undefeated in the Silicon Valley Classic so far.
Junior infielder Ahmiya Noriega had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two singles, one triple, one run and one RBI.
The Spartans started the game off swinging as junior infielder Reina Zermeno and sophomore outfielder Haley Reeve scored two runs in the first inning. However, the Mustangs responded as they put up three runs in the third inning and took the lead.
Cal Poly would not hold on that lead for long though as SJSU would score three runs in the fourth inning as Noriega, freshman catcher Sarah Deplitch, and sophomore outfielder Carly Cummings all scored to take the lead back.
“I just think this team believes in themselves,” SJSU head coach Tammy Lohmann said. “They know they can score runs and they’ve shown it this weekend.”
Noriega also scored again in the fifth inning. She led the team in runs in this game.
“I think it’s honestly just being [at] home,” Noriega said. “We play here all the time, we practice here, we are just comfortable here.”
The Spartans had some pitching issues as there were three different pitchers for this game. In the sixth inning, the Spartans brought out senior pitcher Mia Reynolds to close out the game.
Reynolds had previously pitched the Spartans’ entire previous game earlier in the day but she stepped up to make sure they would secure the win.
“I knew that we would get out of it,” Reynolds said. “I just told myself [to] just leave it out on the field.”
The Mustangs only scored one more run in the seventh inning before the Spartans defense would close the game out and take home the victory.
SJSU will close out the first Silicon Valley Classic against UC San Diego on Sunday at home and hopes to end this weekend with a .500 record on the season. First pitch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.
“We gotta go out there and compete”, Lohmann said. “We gotta come out tomorrow with fire and energy.”
