Softball Hangs On In Trip Finale
March 19, 2008
Game one box score
Game two box score
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Northern Colorado's softball team refused to come home empty-handed from California.
It took until their final game in the Golden State, but the Bears scored once in the fourth inning of their second game with San Jose State on Wednesday, March 19, and that was enough to finish their spring break trip out west with 1-0 victory against the Spartans.
The win, which followed an 11-0 five-inning defeat earlier in the day, was Northern Colorado's first since getting a 7-3 win against Georgetown on March 1.
The Bears (7-28) are now off until they start their home schedule with a doubleheader against Colorado State at noon on Saturday, March 29.
Northern Colorado scored the winning run Wednesday when Kaylyn James' double scored Mackenzie Barrett. The Bears then fought off two San Jose State (16-18) rallies to preserve the victory.
The Spartans loaded the bases in their half of the sixth inning, but, with one out, San Jose State's Dannielle Brown lined out to Northern Colorado second baseman Abby Turner. Turner then fired to shortstop Kelley Johns, who was covering second, to double off Brittany McConnell for the third out.
Hillarie Van Otterloo (3-7), who started in the circle in the win, then put out another fire in the seventh inning when she struck out Kasey Igarta for the third out with Spartan runners on second and third. Van Otterloo gave up seven hits in her complete-game effort, but she struck out five and walked only two.
Jessie Schoepflin and Barrett each finished two for three at the plate in the win.
Game one
Jamie Juelfs (3-9) started in the circle in the Bears' first game Wednesday, and she was strong for three innings. The fourth inning, though, proved the difference -- for Juelfs and Northern Colorado.
San Jose State, with a 2-0 lead, scored nine times in the fourth and ran away with the game. The Bears committed four errors in the inning.
Barrett got Northern Colorado's only hit in the loss.
