Fresno, Calif. -- San Jose State scored early and often in a 10-3 win at Fresno State to end a nine-game slide and notch the first road win of 2013.
The win makes it four in a row against the Bulldogs dating back to last season.
The San Jose State (3-9) bullpen committee of Kyle Hassna, Willy Reel, Drew Bradshaw and Kalei Contrades took over for starter Jason Kafka with a 5-3 lead in the fourth. Together, they held the Bulldogs hitless in 5.1 innings and limited Fresno State (3-8) to one baserunner via a walk in the seventh inning.
Second baseman Jacob Valdez was responsible for half of the Spartans' 10 runs, knocking in three RBI and scoring twice.
The Spartans opened with one run in the first inning when Valdez reached on a throwing error, the first of three for Fresno State on the night.
The offense went right back to work with three runs in the second. A big Andre Mercurio double scored Matt Carroll and Richie Johnson who had singled and been hit by a pitch respectively to lead off the inning. Two batters later Tim Quiery reached on a throwing error allowing Mercurio to score and give the Spartans a 4-0 lead. Matt Carroll pulled one down the left field line in the third inning scoring Valdez from second to make it 5-0.
The Bulldogs scored their first run on a solo homer in the third inning by Brody Russell. They tacked on two more against Kafka in the fourth after a balk with runners on second and third followed by fielder's choice RBI. Kafka, who did earn the win, was lifted in favor of Hassna with two outs in the fourth inning.
In the fifth Johnson hit into a bases-loaded ground ball double-play that allowed Valdez to score, making it 6-3. Valdez collected his second and third RBI with a double in the sixth to put the Spartans up 8-3. The Spartans put up two more in the eighth inning to match their season-high in runs with 10.
Valdez, Carroll, Johnson and Michael Gerlach all had multi-hit games and each came around to score at least once.
Fresno State threw eight different pitchers in the game with the loss going to starter Aaron Gillis. As a staff they gave up 10 free bases with five hit batsmen and five walks.
Next up, San Jose State takes on the crosstown rival Santa Clara Broncos in a three-game set beginning March 8 at 6:00 p.m. at municipal Stadium.