SAN JOSE STATE SPOILS LADY VOLS' 2003 DEBUT, 3-1

Friday, January 31

Berkeley, Calif.

University of Tennessee

0-1

San Jose State

1-0

San Jose State

Tennessee

January 31, 2003 | Softball

Box Score

Jan. 31, 2003

Box Score

BERKELEY, Calif.

San Jose State junior Carol Forbes hurled a complete-game four-hitter and also smashed a solo homer to lift the Spartans to a 3-1 triumph over the Lady Vol softball team on Friday morning in the season opener for both teams at the University of California's Levine-Fricke Field. SJSU plated a single tally in the second and tacked on two more runs in the fourth before Ralph and Karen Weekly's club broke into the scoring column on an RBI double by freshman Kristi Durant (Placentia, Calif.) in the sixth. Tennessee has now fallen four straight times in its season lid-lifter dating back to an 8-0 rout of Miami (Ohio) on Feb. 19, 1999, in Tampa, Fla.

"We definitely believe in these kids and we know they will be good once they get some seasoning," said Ralph Weekly. "We started six freshmen against a veteran squad but didn't play well enough as a team to win. I thought that Kristi and Amber (Rhinehart) played really well for us."

Forbes helped her own cause in the second inning with a leadoff home run off Lady Vol freshman Stacey Jennings (Aurora, Colo.) to open the scoring. The junior fought back from an 0-2 hole to work the count to 3-2 before depositing the next offering over the 220-foot mark in center field. Later in the inning, junior Megan Delgado reached on a two-out error by Tennessee and looked to take third base on a single up the middle by sophomore Elisa Barrios. However, UT rookie center fielder Katherine Card (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) uncorked a perfect relay throw to junior third baseman Ellisha Humphrey (Knoxville, Tenn.) to nail Delgado and halt the Spartan threat.

In the top of third, senior Becca Baldridge started things off by lacing a single into left field for SJSU but was erased on an errant bunt by senior Tara Hall. Jennings then uncorked a wild pitch to advance Hall to second and senior Veronica Ramos drew a free pass to give the Spartans a pair of runners on board with only one out. At this point, the Weeklys summoned senior Stephanie Humphrey (Knoxville, Tenn.) into the circle to try and put out the fire. The right-hander responded by inducing a ground ball from freshman Jessica Guillen that forced Hall at third and then struck out Forbes to keep the margin at 1-0.

Senior Miranda Gonzales began the Spartans' fourth at bat by ripping a double to the left field wall before Humphrey set down freshman Danielle Eakins on strikes. A wild pitch enabled Gonzales to occupy third and Delgado punched a flare into left to score her teammate. Barrios' second base-hit of the contest moved her teammate to second but Humphrey hit Baldridge to load the bases. A sacrifice fly to deep right field by Hall brought home Delgado to increase San Jose State's advantage to 3-0 and the Weeklys then called for an intentional walk to Ramos before deciding to re-enter Jennings into the circle. The move paid off, as Guillen popped out to Lady Vol sophomore first baseman Amber Rhinehart (Citrus Heights, Calif.) to end the stanza after eight batters had stepped to the dish.

The Lady Vols mounted a scoring threat in the fourth, as junior Angela Brewer (East Ridge, Tenn.) earned a free pass with one down and freshman catcher Durant came through with a single to left for UT's initial hit of the ballgame. After a pop-out by junior left fielder Blaine Teasley (Tucson, Ariz.), a passed ball enabled both freshman pinch runner Kim Anders (Erwin, Tenn.) and Durant to advance. Forbes worked herself out of the jam by catching freshman Chemil Washington (Vancouver, Wash.) on called strike three to keep the Orange scoreless.

Rhinehart jump-started the Tennessee offense in the bottom of the sixth by ripping a double down the right field line to begin the stanza. After Brewer flew out, Durant cranked a two-bagger off the top of the left field fence to plate freshman pinch runner Sarah Fekete (Maryville, Tenn.) with the Lady Vols' initial run of the campaign. Forbes struck out Teasley before Washington reached on a two-out walk, bringing junior pinch hitter Lauren Mattox (Charlotte, N.C.) to the plate as the potential tying run. However, Forbes answered with her fifth strikeout of the game to hold the count at 3-1.

The righty threw 126 pitches in going the distance for the victory, with 6 K and four walks. The duo of Jennings (5.2 IP, four hits, three walks, one run, one strikeout) and Humphrey (1.1 IP, three hits, two runs, two strikeouts) combined to toss 125 pitches for UT. Barrios finished a perfect 3-for-3 for San Jose State, while Durant paced the Knoxville clan with a 2-for-3 effort.

Tennessee will be back in action this afternoon at 2 p.m. PT against defending national champion California. The Golden Bears are ranked third nationally and will be meeting the Orange and White for the first time. The Lady Vols and Spartans will meet again tomorrow at 9 a.m. PT.