Six To Tie

Boise State will have to bat around in the seventh if they want to win the Mountain West.  San Diego State's bats have come out today, and the Broncos' great season is in trouble.

Crump, Bourke & Kreiger will be the first Broncos to get hits this inning.  Boise State won 6-1 Friday and 4-3 yesterday but with one at-bat left, it's all San Diego State today.


Crump lifts the first pitch to Jordan for one out. 


 Holly Bourke will try to ignite her team.  Boise State should be taking at least one strike.  Swing and a miss for Holly and it is 1-1.  Broncos need to do something to shake up Micetich.  Holly fouls it and now it is 1-2, a familiar spot for Bailey.  The Broncos scored one and loaded the bases in the second but they have done nothing since.  Bourke strikes out for the 12th K.


Boise State down to their last batter--Jordan Kreiger.  First pitch is swung on and missed.  Micetich has been amazing.  She has 160 strikeouts on the season.  Now a ball and it's 1-1.  Two out.  A foul to the screen.  Boise State down to their last strike.  Ball two down and away.  Great eye by Kreiger.  Micetich going for her 11th complete game.


Strike three and the Aztecs have won 7-1.


SD State is 7-2 in conference play while Boise State is 8-4.  The only way the Broncos can win the title is if last-place UNLV wins 2 of 3 against San Diego State in Las Vegas next weekend.


Meanwhile, the Broncos host nationally-ranked Texas A&M next weekend to close out the season and hope they can impress the NCAA selection committee to get an at-large berth.

Work Will Face Rose, Corder & Reifschneider

Lela on in relief of Aubray Zell will have to set the Aztecs down in order in the sixth and hope that her team can get what to this point have been elusive hits in the Bronco seventh.


Rose is 0-2 and she looks at one low for ball one.  And one high for ball two.  Work fires in and it is outside.  Ball three.  Work fires a strike and it's 3-1.  Rose draws the leadoff walk.


Fiana Finau will pinch hit for Corder and Mathis will run at first for Rose.


Crump, Bourke & Kreiger will try to find magic for Boise State in the seventh.


A wild pitch sends Mathis to second.  Finau batting with a 1-0 count, no one out, and a 5-1 lead for SD State.  Ball two is high and away.  The ball grounded, snagged by Caplan, who made a nice throw to Crump for the out.  But Mathis moves to third and SD State looking for the sac fly for an insurance run.


Reifschneider is up and she looks at a ball.  Lela needs to keep it low, but not that low--in the dirt for ball two.  There's a strike over the plate.  SD State did all their damage in the fourth and fifth, but they're threatening here in the sixth.  Work now has a 3-1 count.  Runner on third with one down. A foul down the line makes the count 3-2.  A little flare down the line.  Kreiger makes a beautiful diving catch and able to get back so that Mathis doesn't score.


And here's Hayley Miles.  She blasts it over the fence.  SD State now leads 7-1.  You can't keep her down forever.  Boise State had done a good job on her up to this point.  Boise State now needs to make up 6 runs.  They have the hitting and the power to do it.  It's a long road, but I'm not giving up on them until there are three out in the seventh.


Kala Jordan up.  SD State with 7 runs on 10 hits today, as they finally bust out.  Work has the count 1-2.  Lela sends the fourth pitch in the dirt, which Engelbrecht stops.  Jordan sends a flare, and motors into second with a hustle double.


Lorena Klopp now up for the Aztecs.  1-1 count for her.


I've seen it too many times.  A team wins the first games of the series, needs one more win to close it out, and has problems.  Klopp fouls one just out of play.  Work fires a strike to end the inning.  But two more runs for SD State, three hits, one left, no errors and after six, it's San Diego State 7, Boise State 1.

Catching Up to Do

Boise State needs to get their rally caps on.  They have a four run deficit in the sixth and will send up Kellie Caplan, Tazz Weatherly and Devon Bridges.


Caplan and Weathlerly have to get on and then Bridges can easily bring Boise State within one.  But everyone has to do their job.


Here's Kellie, and it's grounded foul.  Get on base Caplan.  Another foul and it is another 0-2 count.  Kellie is 0-2, batting .297 on the season.  Swing and a miss and that's nine K's for Micetich.


Tazz up.  A 5-1 deficit and Boise State needs to get going.  First pitch is a swing and miss.  Boise State should be taking pitches.  The 1-2 is a called third strike and now that's 10 strikeouts.  What a difference two days makes, from a 6-1 win Friday over Micetich to 10 strikeouts.


Bridges up and looks at strike one.  The gal is on fire.  Two out in the Boise State sixth.  Swing and a miss and it's 1-2.  Boise State needs baserunners, if for no other reason so they can come up in the sixth.  Ripped just foul of the third base line.  Fast ball and a swing and a miss.  Micetich strikes out the side and now has 11 strikeouts.  

Reifschneider Leads Off the Aztec 5th

Forget about putting pressure on the other team.  Now in a pitcher's dual, and right now, Micetich looks far sharper.


Reifschneider will lead off the inning.  Then Hayley Miles again and Jordan in the fifth.


Zell has thrown 62 pitches and she isn't her sharpest.  But, she does throw a strike to Reifschneider.  The 0-1 is in the dirt for a 1-1 count.  The Aztecs with five hits so far.  A grounder to Zell and Aubray makes the throw to Crump for one down.


And now Miles, hitting .727 over the last week.  Zell needs to keep her down.  A solid base hit up the middle for a single and Lacey Jordan comes up.  Look for the bunt.


Jordan up against Zell and she looks at a strike.  Ball one outside.  One on, one out.  Jordan looks at ball two low.  Klopp is on deck with the count 2-1.  Jordan flied out and grounded into a double play.  She sent a shot just foul.  2-2 count.  3-2 count and Miles stole second.  Miles on second with one down.  Another base hit, Miles has to stop at third.


So we have Jordan on first, Miles on third, one down and Lorena Klopp with 32 RBI's comes up.  Klopp hits a chopper to first.  Crump fielded it to Caplan at second, but Miles scores and the Aztecs grab the lead that I said Boise State needed in the top of the inning.  Didn't happen for the Broncos but it has for San Diego State.


Now Jordan on second with two down.  Zell with a strike to Maeva.  San Diego State has taken the lead.  Another base hit, and Jordan has scored.  Maeva takes second and San Diego State leads 3-1.


No hook yet, as San Diego State has eight hits in the game. Maeva is on second, still two out and Jackson is up.  First pitch is a ball.  Outside for 2-0.  Get these guys out!  Zell delivers a strike and it's 2-1.  Jackson has a double and a single so far today.  Called strike two.  The crowd going crazy.  Zell about to fire her 82nd pitch.


Jackson has hit a two-run homer for SD State and it is 5-1.  That's Jackson's ninth dinger of the year, and her 32nd and 33rd RBI's of the year.


2-3-4 coming up for Boise State and the Broncos need to prove they can hit with San Diego State today.


And Lela Work, who pitched so brilliantly yesterday, will come in for Zell, who just didn't have it, especially the last two innings.  San Diego State has scored four this inning to take a 5-1 lead.


Micetich has been sitting on the bench for a while, so the time to get to her will be in the Bronco sixth.  But first Kristin May has to be retired.  She fires a ball, and then May swings and misses for a 1-1 count.  Work comes to the plate and gets another whiff for strike two.  Work strikes out May finally, but much damage as three hits, four runs, no errors and no one left.


How much does Boise State believe in themselves?  We'll find out now as for the first time in the series, Boise State is down four runs.

Whyte, Engelbrecht & Glover Need to Produce

The bottom of the Bronco lineup for Boise State in the fifth inning.  Engelbrecht's single drove in the only run that Boise State has managed the entire game.  Tara Glover is Boise State's leading hitter but is 0-2 thus far today.


Mackenzie Whyte leads off the fifth against Micetich.  Boise State with just three hits, one by Engelbrecht, one for Crump and one for Kreiger.


Whyte had a 10-pitch at bat last time up.  She fouls off the first two and she's down 0-2.  Mackenzie waits.  Swing and a miss and Micetich is on a roll.  The Broncos need to find a way to get to her, be it walk, bunt, or whatever.


Katie Engelbrecht up.  Strike one right away.  Grounder to Miles at short and there are two down.


It's up to Tara Glover.  Swing and a miss for Glover.  Surprised Tara doesn't try to lay one down.  She watches a ball go back to the screen and it's 1-1.  Another swing and a miss.  If Glover can't hit her, no one can.  Strike three called.


Micetich has eight strikeouts and her fourth 1-2-3 inning.  And we go to Zell in the San Diego State fifth.

Klopp, Maeva & Jackson in the SD State Fourth

A big challenge awaits Aubray Zell in the fourth.  Boise State couldn't do anything with their three hot hitters.  For Zell to maintain the lead, she'll have to make sure that SD State's big bats don't do anything either.


Lorena Klopp will lead it off for the Aztecs.  The 51st pitch from Zell is low in the dirt.  Klopp sends a shot to the wall in the center field, Tara Glover backed up, backed up, all the way right in front of the fence to make the catch.  A sigh of relief from Bronco Coach Erin Thorpe.


Zell hits Maeva with the first pitch for a gimme runner at first.  Lavery will pinch run for her with the dangerous Patrice Jackson up.


Zell needs to start throwing strikes.  And indeed she leads off Jackson with one right down the middle.  But another ball.  Lavery on first with one out in a 1-0 game.  Base hit into left field and now the Aztecs have runners on first and second with just one out.


Kristin May is now up and San Diego State is showing Boise State they should have scored in the top half of the inning.  May laces a shot to send in Lavery and the score is tied.


Ashley Rose is now up with Jackson on second and May on first.  Castanava will now pinch run for May.  Zell is struggling.  A hit batsman and two singles have plated a run in the fourth for the Aztecs.  Zell found the zone on the inside corner for an 0-1 count.  Another low and away evens the count.  An attempted bunt by Rose and a strike so it is 1-2.  And Zell strikes out Rose!


Reifschneider will step up for the Aztecs with two on and two out.  Just like the second, a grounder to Crump, who makes the play unassisted.


But the tying run scores against Zell, two hits, and two left on.

After four complete in San Diego, we are knotted up at 1.

Crump, Bourke & Kreiger Due Up for Boise State

Allie Crump, Holly Bourke and Jordan Kreiger will test their skills against Micetich in the Bronco fourth.  All three are hot right now.  Hopefully, they can add to Boise State's run total to put the pressure on San Diego State.  


Crump and Kreiger both had hits in the second inning, when Boise State scored their run.


Micetich has thrown 50 pitches through the first three innings.


Micetich fires in two strikes right away to Crump and then a ball low and away.  Allie goes for the fences but whiffs and Micetich has her fifth strikeout.

Bourke up in this great pitcher's dual.  Micetich fires another strike to start this at-bat.  Bailey strikes out Bourke on three pitches.  SD State will send the meat of their lineup in the bottom half of the fourth--Boise State would be wise to score a run here.


And right away, a foul by Kreiger.  Micetich is looking solid right now.  Two straight balls have the count Jordan's favor.  And an inside pitch makes the count full.  Whyte is on deck if Kreiger can get aboard.  Kreiger sends a grounder to short and it's 1-2-3 again for the Broncos in the fourth.  They've only had one inning in which they didn't go down 1-2-3, and that was the second, when they scored their run.


No runs, no hits, no errors and no one left.  It's still 1-0, Boise State.

San Diego State Tries for the Equalizer

Center fielder Reifschneider will lead off the Aztec third in San Diego.  The dangerous Miles follows her and then Jordan.


Zell has thrown 37 pitches through two innings, allowing just two hits and one walk.


Reifschneider is a .274 hitter.  She sends a seeing-eye single through the left side and now Zell has to face Hayley Miles with a runner on and no one out.  Miles was the USA National Player of the Week with an average of .727 with five homers and 10 RBI's.  Hayley has 15 homers so far this year.  She is batting a sizzling .431.


Up steps Miles and she watches two, one a strike and one a ball.  Then a roller that just did land foul-- a 1-2 count.  Miles walked in the first.  Reifschneider on first with no one out.  Miles laces two fouls in the battle with Zell.  Miles laced a shot to Jordan Kreiger, who threw for the force at second.  Whyte made the turn and the try for the double play was just late.  Miles at first with one out now.


Kayla Jordan up for SD State and she has a 2-1 count.  She sends a grounder to Whyte, who tags the runner herself and then throws to Crump for the double play.  Nicely done.


One hit, no runs and no one left on base.  They've played three complete in San Diego and it's still Boise State 1, San Diego State 0.

Caplan, Weatherly and Bridges Due Up for Boise State

The Broncos need to string together some hits against Bailey Micetich.  They did it Friday and they need it now.


Kellie Caplan will lead things off, Tazz Weatherly is scheduled second this inning then powerful Devon Bridges.  Micetich has thrown 36 pitches through two innings.


Caplan struck out on five pitches, Micetich's third strikeout of the game, and Tazz is up.  


Weatherly goes down on three strikes as well.  Micetich seems to be settling down for the moment.

Bridges is up with two down in the Bronco third.  Bridges sends a grounder right back to Micetich, who tossed a little high but good for the out.


Boise State goes 1-2-3 in the third and still the tenuous one run lead.  Not near enough.

Jackson, May & Rose for SD State in the Second

Patrice Jackson did well yesterday; she'll lead it off for the Aztecs in the bottom of the second.  Jackson hits a shot for a double, five feet shy of a homer.  Zell needs to find the plate so she doesn't have to serve up pitches like that.  Jackie Campa will pinch run for Jackson.  It was SD State's first hit of the game.


May up next with an attempted bunt that went foul.  And another bunt attempt goes foul for an 0-2 count.  Campa left the base early and was called out.  Bases now cleared with one out.  May hits a shot to the wall for a double.


Ashley Rose up in a key situation for San Diego State.  The crowd, upset by the call on Campa, is trying to rattle Aubray Zell.  Grounder to Zell, who went to Crump for the out.  Rose moved to third on the play.  


Two on for Tiffany Corder.  First pitch from Zell is a ball.  Low and away for a 2-0 count.  Grounder to Crump who makes the play unassisted.  Two hits for San Diego State, no runs and one left on.

After two complete, Boise State is clinging to a 1-0 lead.  Broncos need some offense and some insurance in the third.

The Bronco second

Bridges hit a 3-2 pitch to third, and Rose throws her out.


Allie Crump hit a looper to right for the game's first hit, first-pitch swinging.


Holly Bourke hit a ball up the middle and the force is made on Crump at second.  Bourke is at first with two down and Jordan Kreiger beat out a slow grounder so the Broncos have two on and two out.


Mackenzie Whyte fouled off six pitches in a wonderful at bat to get the much-earned walk.  The bases are loaded.


Engelbrecht came up and bounced one up the middle to plate Bourke.  Tara Glover up with the bases still full of Broncos.


Micetich threw 29 pitches this inning.  She was able to strike out Glover to leave three Broncos on base.


But, Boise State draws first blood and goes up 1-0.  One run, three hits, and three left on base.

Zell Allows Leadoff Walk

Zell chose to pitch carefully to Hayley Miles to lead off the game.  Miles drew a walk.  Klopp flew out to Holly Bourke and there are two down.  Maeva fouled out to Jordan Kreiger at third and now through one, no runs, no hits, no errors.


It will be Bridges, Crump & Bourke in the Boise State second. Bridges hit two home runs Friday off Bailey Micetich.

Boise State Goes Down 1-2-3

No runs, no hits, no errors and no one left.  San Diego State coming to bat.

Unfinished Business

The last two games for the Boise State softball team mean nothing if they don't win today.  The team that plays loose and puts pressure on the other is the one that will win.  San Diego State hosts Boise State for the third game of the series in 19 minutes.  Complete, up-to-the-second results here on Blue Through and Through.


Be sure to refresh often for updates.

Boise State Finishes 6th at Mountain West Golf Championships

1	14 San Diego State	-13	11 - 14	-3	280	278	-	558
2	16 New Mexico	-5	11 - 14	E	281	282	-	563
3	45 TCU	-4	15 - 18	-4	282	286	-	568
4	7 UNLV	-1	F	-2	285	284	282	851
5	Colorado State	+1	15 - 18	+2	284	283	-	567
6	Boise State	+19	F	+4	292	291	288	871
7	Air Force	+30	F	+8	297	293	292	882
8	Wyoming	+39	F	+17	294	296	301	891