By Sandeep Chandok:
In a must-win game of a must-win series, San Jose State did exactly what it was supposed to do, win.
The Spartans overcame an early 3-0 hole to win the series opener against a Mountain West-leading Utah State, 7-3, and now trail the Aggies by just half a game for first place.
Spartans Ace Katelyn Linford tossed a complete game without walking a single batter and striking out nine.
Despite giving up three runs in the first two innings, Linford locked in for the remainder of the game shutting out the Aggies (32-13, 14-7 MW) in the final five frames.
“For me, as I go into a game, I get more and more comfortable,” Linford said. “After that second inning, I knew they weren’t gonna score again.”
For SJSU (33-15, 13-6 MW), three runs over the third and fourth innings tied the game before a three-run fifth inning gave the Spartans some breathing room.
Sparking the offensive production for the Spartans was the sophomore pair of Madison Aurin, three hits and two RBIs, and Kristen Heffley who hit a two-run triple in the bottom of the fifth to SJSU its first lead of the afternoon.
Heffley spoke postgame about her clutch hit.
“[It] felt really good. I’ve been in a really deep slump,” Heffley said. “[I’m] pretty good at hitting at change-ups and her pitching me the change-up cost her.”
With two games left in the series and conference seeding on the line, the Spartans will have to come out swinging early so they don’t have to fight from behind again.
Although if they do fall down early, a comeback is always likely for an SJSU team that knows its strength is scoring runs late in games.
“I know when we come back, it’s very hard for us to go down,” Heffley said.
Game 2 is tomorrow is slated for 12 p.m. at Mission College in Santa Clara.