By Alex Stoev (@alexstoevsjsu) – Spear Reporter | Sophomore Sarah Deplitch hitting a ball vs UNLV on March 14. (Photo by Zoe Woodward – Spear Photographer)
Through the blazing Arizona sun, San Jose State softball (10-17, 2-2 MW) burned out in its 5-1 loss to No. 22-ranked Grand Canyon University (31-1, 4-0 MW) on Friday.
SJSU wasn’t able to recover after GCU had a three-run second inning that included a home run from graduate left fielder Trinity Martin.
The Antelopes would score two more runs the rest of the way before SJSU got on the board.
It was a rough day for freshman pitcher Delaney Faus, as she finished with five runs allowed on 11 hits.
GCU senior pitcher Taryn Batterton tossed a shutout in her four innings pitched. Only allowing four hits, no runs, tossing four strikeouts and having a 1.76 ERA.
This would mark Batterton’s eighth win of the season in as many games.
The only bright spot SJSU had on offense was from freshman right fielder Leata Sherlin, who scored the only run of the game for the Spartans, hitting a home run in the sixth inning.
Sherlin and sophomore third baseman Gigi Ortega were the only Spartans to have at least two hits during the game.
In 27 at-bats, SJSU had only six hits, while GCU, in two more at-bats, doubled the number of hits.
The Spartans will regroup for the second game of a three-game series against GCU at 7 p.m. on Saturday at GCU Softball Stadium in Phoenix, Ariz.
