San Jose, Calif. - Two runs on five hits proved not enough against #22-ranked Cal Poly on Tuesday night at Municipal Stadium, as the Spartans fell 5-2 in nonconference action.
Nine San Jose State pitchers combined to allow Cal Poly's nine hits and five runs. The Mustangs scattered runs in the second, third and fourth innings and then put up the only crooked number of the night in the eighth.
"We just didn't score enough runs to win tonight," said Spartans' head coach Dave Nakama. "I thought our group of guys pitched well enough to win. We haven't pitched well all year so we tried some new things tonight."
Even SJSU's everyday first baseman Matt Carroll got a chance to pitch. He came on to start the ninth for his first-career appearance and struck out the final two batters swinging to end the Mustangs' ninth with no damage.
Jacob Valdez had two of the Spartans five hits. He knocked in Andre Mercurio with an RBI-single in the fourth. In the seventh, Valdez trotted home to score SJSU's second run on a bases-loaded walk to Jon Nelson.
The second baseman Valdez, has hit safely in eight of the last 10 games during which he is 16-for-37 (.432) with a .514 slugging percentage.
Cal poly extended a 3-2 lead to 5-2 with a couple clutch hits against Daniel Chavez in the eighth inning. Nick Torress roped the first pitch of the inning into the gap in right-center field and scored one batter later on Tommy Pluschkell's single up the middle. Peter Van Gansen gave the Mustangs their fifth run with a sacrifice fly.
Casey Bloomquist allowed four hits and two earned runs in 6.2 innings and earned the victory, improving to 4-1. The loss went to San Jose State's second pitcher of the evening, John Oberholtzer who gave up two hits and a run in the second inning.
San Jose State has lost six consecutive midweek games in a row and finish the season 2-9 during the week.
The Spartans now head to Sacramento State this weekend for the first of the final two Western Athletic Conference series of the season. First pitch for Friday's game at John Smith Field is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. PDT.