Feb. 24, 2007

Box Score

San Jose, Calif. - A critical error led to two late unearned runs as the Pacific softball team suffered a 4-3 loss to San Jose State in the first game of a double header on Saturday, Feb. 24.

With the loss the Tigers fell to 8-3 on the season, while San Jose State moved to 2-5.

The Spartans jumped on top in the bottom of the first inning on two hits and a passed ball. Shortstop Sarah Taylor led off the inning for San Jose State by beating out an infield single to the pitcher. Taylor moved to second on a ground out and took third on a passed ball. With two outs in the inning, Justine Kunkel drove Taylor home with a single up the middle.

Pacific responded in the top of the third inning as freshman Kellee Wilson (Tracy, Calif.) laced a single into center to lead off the inning. The next batter, sophomore Casey Goldsand (Scottsdale, Ariz.) placed a perfect bunt down the third base line for a single. With runners at first and second, freshman Brittany Hendrickson (San Jose, Calif.) moved both runners up one base with a sacrifice bunt. Senior Gina Carbonatto (Lake Stevens, Wash.) followed with a single to shortstop, tying the game at 1-1.

In the top of the fifth, the Tigers grabbed the lead with two runs on three hits and a sacrifice fly. Hendrickson started the Tiger rally with a slap single to left field. One out later, senior Lizzie Hagen (Anaheim, Calif.) launched a double to deep left field, sending Henrickson to third. Following a four pitch walk to senior Jennifer Curtier (Lancaster, Calif.), sophomore Briana Santos (Garden Grove, Calif.) lifted a long foul ball down the right field line. Once the ball was caught, Hendrickson scampered home to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead. The next Pacific batter, sophomore Lauren Weyman (Carlsbad, Calif.) ripped a single into left, scoring Hagen, who had taken third on Santos' sacrifice fly.

The Spartans pulled within a run in the bottom of the fifth with a single run on two hits, including an RBI triple by Taylor.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, their defense let them down in the bottom of the sixth as two errors led to two San Jose State runs as the Spartans came from behind to snag the game, 4-3.

Roxanne Bejarano (2-0) picked up the win for San Jose State as she tossed 1.2 innings of hitless relief.

Pacific sophomore Chelsea Engle (Folsom, Calif.) suffered the loss as she allowed four runs (one earned) on six hits in six innings.

The Tigers and Spartans will play game two of their double header beginning at approximately 2:40 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24.