Santa Barbara, Calif. - All tied up at four, San Jose State gave up four free bases in the bottom of the ninth inning, including a bases-loaded walk for a 5-4 loss to UC Santa Barbara.
A hit batsman and intentional walk set the table for the Gauchos in the bottom of the ninth against Spartan reliever Kyle Hassna. With one out, the right-handed Hassna was lifted in favor of lefty Drew Bradshaw. Bradshaw plunked the first batter he faced to load the bags, and walked in the game-winning run on a 3-1 count.
"A lot of runs that we have given up this year are after walks," said head coach Dave Nakama. "We have to throw more strikes."
The late game winner for the Gauchos (5-4) washed away a game-changing rally by the Spartans (2-7) in the fifth inning. It also halted SJSU from snapping its losing streak, now at seven games.
After being shut out through the first four innings San Jose State took the lead with a four-run fifth. Michael Gerlach knocked in the Spartans' first run of the day with a single. After Tim Quiery reached on a fielding error, Jacob Valdez knocked a base hit up the middle and a fielding error on the center fielder allowed Gerlach to score. Quiery tied the game one batter later by taking home on a wild pitch by UCSB starter Austin Pettibone. Then, an RBI-single through the right side off the bat of Jon Nelson gave San Jose State the 4-3 lead.
San Jose State starter Johnny Melero threw 7.0 innings giving up eight hits and four earned runs with two strikeouts in a no-decision. His day ended after the seventh inning when Woody Woodward tripled off Melero in the seventh and tagged up from third one batter later to tie the game 4-4.
Greg Mahle picked up the win for UCSB in one inning out of the bullpen. The starter Pettibone gave up nine hits and one earned run in 8.0 innings.
"We are going to need more cushion in the ninth for our pitchers right now, Nakama said" "It's tough when you get behind early like that."
The two teams will meet again tomorrow at 2 p.m. for game two of the three-game set at Caesar Uyesaka Field. Lefty David Wayne Russo (1-1, 8.64) takes the hill for the Spartans against left-hander Justin Jacome (0-1, 4.50).