Feb. 6, 2009
Box Score
St. George, UT --- Freshman Jennifer Martensen homered in her first collegiate at-bat, but the San Jose State Spartans scored three runs in the fifth inning to break open a tense 1-1 tie and go on to defeat Idaho State 4-1 in the season opener for both clubs. The game took place in St. George Utah as part of the Red Devil Classic, hosted by Brigham Young.
The Spartans broke open a 1-1 game with a pair of two-out singles in the fifth inning. With two outs and Sarah Taylor on second, Kayla Hayes drew a walk off of starter Kandis Clesson. Catcher Brittany McConnell singled to short, with Jessica Baca diving to keep the ball in the infield. However, Taylor never hesitated and scored anyways, beating Baca's throw to make it 2-1, with both runners moving up on the throw. Ursula Lopez then singled to left, scoring two more, but left fielder Caitlin McGrath gunned down Lopez trying to stretch the play into a double, ending the inning.
Idaho State was trailing 1-0 after the first when Hayes and McConnell hit back-to-back two out doubles, and Clesson eventually wiggled out of a bases loaded situation to keep it at just one run. The Bengals tied it in the top of the second when Martensen took an Amanda Pridmore offering deep over the fence in left field for her first career home run in her first career at bat.
Down 4-1 entering the seventh, ISU attempted a rally as Baca led off the inning with a single to center, but her pinch runner Kaylie Neal-Jones was forced out at second for the first out before Pridmore finished the game off with back-to-back strikeouts.
The Bengals got four hits in the game, with freshman DP Cristin Martin getting the other hit along with Martensen, Baca, and McGrath, who led the game off with a single. Clesson (0-1) allowed four earned runs on seven hits, striking out three and walking three as well. ISU left three on, and San Jose State left five.
Idaho State takes on Northern Colorado later in the day.
NOTES: ISU committed one error, and it was by Clesson, the first of her three-year career ... The leadoff single was the second time in the three seasons since the program was revived that ISU opened the year with a hit, as Christine Shollenberger had a double in 2007 against Brigham Young ... the only other meeting between the two teams was on April 17, 1980, an 8-0 Bengal win in Reno, Nevada.
