By Sara Biela (@sarabielaa ):
The weather may be colder, but San Jose State softball is getting hotter.
The No. 55 team in the country has a 19-9 record through 28 games as it ranks 24th in the nation in scoring. The team has sent 165 runners across the plate, averaging 5.89 runs per game.
In addition, the squad’s .349 on base percentage ranks 30th in the country.
Whether it’s through base hits, walks or hit-by-pitches, the Spartans are finding ways to get on base.
“Coach calls it creating traffic on the bases,” said junior first baseman and pitcher Madison Aurin. “We score runs on base hits. Nobody needs to try and hit home runs.”
While the long ball isn’t a priority, the Spartans are still smashing balls out of the park.
The team’s average of about one homer per game ranks 45th in the nation.
Comparing to past title seasons, the Spartans are keeping a good pace, especially with batting average. This season, with only being 28 games in, SJSU is batting .292.
In 2013, when SJSU won the championship in their final season in the Western Athletic Conference, the team batted .277 in 59 games.
The 2017 Mountain West champions surpassed that BA with .292.
Last season, shortstop Emma Entzminger batted .271. In her final season as a Spartan, she is hitting .280 in 82 plate appearances.
“I think we’re really in a good position,” Entzminger said. “We just have to keep everyone hot with the bats.”
Patience and quality at-bats are the team’s main focus, and that mentality has significantly improved the offense.
Aurin recorded 33 RBIs last season. Now, she ranks 7th in the nation with 36 RBIs.
Sophomore Cassidy Clark batted .371 in 2017. One season later, the second baseman leads the team with a .419 BA and 35 hits.
Right fielder Kaelin Amrein produced 11 hits last season. With 25 hits, the sophomore has already more than doubled her previous amount in 65 plate appearances.
The offensive spark carried high momentum in SJSU’s first conference matchup.
The Spartans faced their rival and conference favorite in San Diego State.
In a three-game sweep, SJSU outscored SDSU 20-4, and out hit them 23-9.
“This is truly a team,” Turner said. “This is really just the synergy of all of them working together. There’s no one star.”
In 28 games, the Spartans average about eight hits per game and have failed to reach five hits only three times.
The Spartan offense has been nothing short of red-hot in 2018.
“We have target on our backs from being defending champs,” Aurin said. “I think we’re making a statement that we’re here to stay and want to do it again.”
