San Jose, Calif. - San Jose State had a five-run first inning and put up three crooked numbers in an 11-5 Western Athletic Conference victory over Texas State on Friday night at Municipal Stadium.
The Spartans (12-25, 6-7 WAC) answered the Bobcats' (16-21, 8-5 WAC) first-inning run with six consecutive hitters reaching base to start the bottom of the frame. Andre Mercurio began things with a leadoff walk and then San Jose State belted out five hits in a row that brought in five runs.
Michael Gerlach knocked Mercurio in with a big double to left field. Gerlach scored two batters later on a Jacob Valdez single in the hole to shortstop making it 2-1. Consecutive singles by Tim Quiery and Nick Schulz brought home three more runs for a 5-1 lead.
"We did well offensively tonight," said San Jose State head coach Dave Nakama. "We ran the bases well and got the big hits we needed. I knew we couldn't get comfortable after scoring those five runs in the first."
The Bobcats made it a 5-4 game with two runs in the top of the second and another in the third off of Spartan starter David Wayne Russo. J.D. Stinnett and Kevin Sah each got an RBI with a sac fly and Nick Smelser knocked in a run with a fielder's choice.
San Jose State had the leadoff man reach base in five of the first six innings against Bobcat pitching. Schulz led off the third with a walk and came around to score on Sheldon Daquioag's single through the left side. The score was 7-4 after Quiery also came home in the third on a wild pitch.
Schulz notched a career-high four runs in the game and Quiery tied his career high with four RBI. Schulz and Quiery each finished the night 3-for-3 at the plate.
Austin O'Neal's solo shot over the left field wall was Texas State's only run on the board after the third inning. It was O'Neal's third homer of the season all of which have come in the last four games.
San Jose State had a three-run sixth with the help of two Bobcat flubs that stretched the lead to 11-5.
Russo was lifted after pitching six innings, giving up eight hits and four earned runs. The lefty improved to 4-5 with the win in what was his fourth consecutive start of at least six innings. Kyle Hassna came on in the seventh and went the rest of the way giving up just one hit, striking out three and earning his second save.
The Spartans and Bobcats are back at it tomorrow in game two of the series starting at 1:00 p.m. at Municipal Stadium. Righty D.J. Slaton (2-5, 4.80) will start for SJSU. Jeremy Hollonquist (1-0, 5.51) will take the hill for Texas State.