By Alex Valle — Content Editor
San Jose State softball began its 2020 season in Fullerton for the Titan Classic.
The Spartans faced-off against four opponents including Loyola Marymount University, Fullerton, UC Riverside and Middle Tennessee.
SJSU vs. LMU
In the first game against Loyola Marymount University (1-0), SJSU (0-1) was able to put two runs on the board in the top of the first inning.
Senior outfielder Makayla Englestad scored the first run of the season from a sacrifice fly hit by sophomore infielder Alyssa Graham.
Freshman Jocylyn Vidal saw her first action at the plate as a Spartan as she was hit by a pitch that would bring in senior infielder Cassidy Clark.
SJSU would close out the first inning with the bases loaded leaving ample opportunity for the Lions to make a comeback.
Junior pitcher Caroline Bowman started for the Spartans and threw for 4.1 innings as she struck out three batters and only allowed one earned run.
Freshman pitcher Shannon Haddad came out for the final inning and gave up the tying run and the go-ahead sacrifice fly that would seal a 4-3 LMU victory.
SJSU vs. Fullerton
The second game for the Spartans had a similar outcome to the first game.
SJSU (0-2) started the game with a run on the board that came from Clack, who doubled home junior infielder Rayohna Sagapolu.
In the bottom of the first, Fullerton (2-0) plated three runs off of three hits.
Junior infielder Vicky Gutierrez tied the game 3-3 with a two-run homer over left-field.
In her second appearance and first start with SJSU, Haddad threw a complete game giving up nine hits and four earned runs while striking out six.
Haddad’s outing was not enough to overcome the Titans.
In the bottom of the seventh, Fullerton senior outfielder Kelsie Whitmore launched the first pitch over the left-field fence, securing a 4-3 Titan victory.
SJSU vs. UC Riverside
After lackluster performances in the first day of the Titan Classic, the Spartans (1-2) took down UC Riverside (0-3) behind a two-run bomb from Clark.
Sophomore pitcher Jenessa Ullegue started for the Spartans in what would be a rough outing for reigning MW Pitcher of the Year.
She was pulled after three innings and allowed four earned runs.
Despite the pitching struggles, SJSU continued to generate offense early as Sagapolu scored off of senior Suzy Brookshire’s RBI single.
This put the Spartans in the lead over the Highlanders until the fourth inning.
UC Riverside rallied back from a 4-2 deficit scoring four runs, while SJSU answered with only one run.
Clark saved the day for the Spartans with her two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth that would clinch SJSU’s first win of the season.
Haddad was able to redeem herself after the first day of the Titan Classic, as she threw for four innings and allowed only one hit.
SJSU vs. Middle Tennessee
SJSU (2-2) defeated Middle Tennessee (2-3) in its final game of the Titan Classic with a walk-off home run from Brookshire.
Freshman pitcher Ilona Sullivan had the best performance of any Spartan pitcher in her first start.
She threw for seven innings and only allowed six hits with one earned run.
The Blue Raiders struggled offensively as they were struck out nine times by Sullivan.
Middle Tennessee’s only run came in the fourth inning when junior infielder Jocelynn De La Cruz hit a solo shot to tie the game.
The Spartans would return the favor in the bottom of the seventh as Brookshire hit her second homer of the day, ending SJSU’s weekend on a high note.
SJSU softball will travel to Lake Elsinore for the Golden State Classic that takes place from Friday, Feb. 14 to Sunday, Feb. 16.
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