April 6, 2004
Box Score
Moraga, CA - The Saint Mary's softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to San Jose State on Tuesday afternoon from Cottrell Field. The Spartans posted a 6-5 win in eight innings in the first game, then a 4-1 win in the nightcap. With the two losses Saint Mary's falls to 8-29 overall and the two wins helps the Spartans improve to 8-22.
San Jose State picked up a 6-5 extra inning win in the first game of the double header. With pinch runner Erin Horiuchi on third, pinch hitter Heather Lopez' two-out RBI single to right field plate the winning run off losing pitcher Jennifer Eaton in the top of the eighth.
The Spartans jumped out to a 5-0 lead after scoring five runs in the third inning. The first six batters of the inning reached base safely, which was started by a lead off walk by Michelle Newbold. After Courtney Lewis' bunt single and a double steal, SJSU had runners at second and third with no outs. Jana Arde tripled to the wall in left center to score both Newbold and Lewis. Arde scored the third run when Elisa Barrios' RBI single made it to left field. The inning was capped by a two-run home run off the bat of Jessica Guillen, making the scored 5-0.
After the Guillen home run, Eaton replaced SMC starting pitcher Lisa Bautista. Eaton pitched five scoreless innings before the winning run came across in the top of the eighth inning.
Saint Mary's answered the five-run inning by scoring three runs in the fourth inning and two runs in the fifth. All three Gael runs in the fourth inning were unearned as two Spartan errors allowed the three tallies. After SMC loaded the bases with two outs, back-to-back errors by the SJSU shortstop allowed three runs to score.
Saint Mary's tied the game in the fifth inning on back-to-back doubles by Claudia Williams and Jenn Arnold. Williams' doubled to left center field scored Michelle Mathis, who singled earlier in the inning, from second and Arnold followed Williams with a double to right field to even the game at 5-5.
Kelly McCollister pitched 1.2 innings in relief to pick up her third win of the season. McCollister, who struck out three of the five batters she faced, entered the game in the bottom of the seventh inning for Carol Forbes.
In the second game of the afternoon, San Jose State scored two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to finish the sweep with a 4-1 victory. Jennifer Eaton (4-17) took the loss for SMC while Spartan starting pitcher Becky Roark (1-3) picked up her first win of the season. Roark pitched four innings and did not allow a run before given way to McCollister in the fifth inning.
In the Spartan fourth, Michelle Newbold singled to lead off the inning and Elisa Barrios followed with a double to put runners on second and third with no outs. Lindsey Allen blasted a single off the glove of the SMC third baseman to score Newbold from third. Two batters later, Justine Larsen's throw home was to late to prevent Barrios from scoring the second run of the inning.
SJSU extended its lead to 4-0 with two more runs in the fifth inning. After Eaton got the first two batters of the inning to fly out, a double by Newbold and a triple by Barrios resulted in one run. The Barrios triple was followed by an Allen single to extend the lead to four.
Saint Mary's only run of the game came from an RBI single to center field by Jordann Bass, scoring Lauren Mello from third base.
Saint Mary's will continue with Pacific Coast Softball Conference action on Friday and Saturday when the Gaels host Sacramento State in a four-game series. The series will include doubleheaders beginning at noon at Cottrell Field both days.
