Feb. 14, 2014
San Jose State's first game in the Mountain West (MW) will go down as a win after the Spartans defeated San Diego State 6-4 on 2014 Opening Night at Municipal Stadium.
The Spartans (1-0, 1-0 MW) won it with clutch hitting and a solid pitching performance to go along some help from the Aztec (0-1, 0-1 MW) defense.
Kalei Contrades (1-0) tossed six innings of two-hit ball after entering the game with bases loaded and none out in the fourth inning. He shut the door on the Aztecs in the top of the ninth when he got Tim Zier swinging on a curve ball for what was a career-high sixth strikeout.
"Kalei was throwing a great fastball, and throwing it for strikes," said Spartans' head coach Dave Nakama. "He pitched great for us."
San Jose State was errorless in the win, while the defending MW champion Aztecs had three flubs that led to runs for SJSU.
A wild throw by Aztecs' second baseman Tim Zier in the third inning allowed the spartans to tie the game. With runners on the corners, the throw plunked Kyle Gallegos in the helmet during a rundown. Gallegos advanced from first to third while Alec de Watteville who walked, scored on the play. Gallegos reached one play earlier on a passed ball on a swinging third strike.
The next batter, Jacob Valdez, gave SJSU its first lead on a single to left field off of San Diego State starter Micahel Cederoth.
After allowing three runs in the top of the fourth, a two-out, two-strike double by Andre Mercurio tied the game once again 4-4 in the bottom half of the inning. De Watteville and a fellow freshman Brett Bautista scored on the play after both walking earlier in the frame. Two pitches later, Gallegos gave the Spartans the lead for good with the first of his two singles in the game which scored Mercurio.
San Jose State tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth when Matt Lopez doubled and scored on a Mercurio sacrifice fly to center making it 6-4.
Cederoth exited after 3.2 innings and five runs, three earned, on three hits with four walks. The Aztecs called to the bullpen four times to finish the game.
Johnny Melero started for San Jose State and was lifted in the fourth in favor of Contrades. Melero was charged four earned runs in 3.0 innings of work.
"I think capitalizing on the errors made a difference in the game," Nakama said. "But I told the guys that this shows we can play with anyone."
The Spartans and Aztecs continue the series Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at Municipal Stadium. Lefty Jonathan Hernandez will start for SJSU against SDSU's left-hander Michael RoBards.