By Sara Biela — Executive Editor
San Jose State softball (25-12, 5-3 MW) was held to three hits as Colorado State (29-4, 11-0 MW) secured Game 2 and the series, 2-1.
CSU’s Bridgette Hutton allowed one run and lifted the team to its 20th straight win.
“We made very little adjustments at the plate and the last inning was probably the best we moved the ball all day,” said head coach Peter Turner. “They hit the ball and we did not. It was tough scratching out the one run we did.”
The Rams struck first in the second inning with an RBI single from Ashley Michelena. Haley Donaldson made it 2-0 CSU in the fourth with a single to center.
Junior infielder Cassidy Clark gave the Spartans their first hit of the game in the bottom half of the fourth. The team ended up loading the bases, but couldn’t squeeze out a run.
SJSU’s next best scoring opportunity came in its final at-bats.
Two back-to-back hits from infielders Rayohna Sagapolu and Alyssa Graham gave the team runners at second and third with nobody out.
After junior infielder Mackenzie Drake got caught looking, senior outfielder Kristen Heffley came in to pinch hit and made it 2-1 with a sacrifice fly.
“She’s a left-hander, so it took away the curveball she (Hutton) was throwing to our right-handers. They weren’t handling it at all,” Turner said on bringing in Heffley to pinch-hit. “Kristen hit the ball very well.”
The Spartans had the tying run at third with two outs, but fell short and dropped the second game of the series to the Rams.
Freshman pitcher Jenessa Ullegue (11-3) also tossed a complete game, but gave up the two runs on 10 hits for her third loss.
“I was a little shaky at first, but as innings went on, I started to feel confident in myself,” she said.
The Spartans will look to avoid the sweep Sunday at 12 p.m.
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