March 16, 2014
San Jose, Calif. --- San Jose State entered the bottom of the eighth inning in a 2-2 tie, and came out having manufactured the game-winning run for a 3-2 victory over UNLV in Mountain West (MW) action on Sunday at Municipal Stadium.
Matt Carroll led off the Spartans' eighth with a base hit through the left side. Mitch Ravizza replaced Carroll on the base path and moved up to second when Mike Simonini laid down a sacrifice bunt. The next batter, Sheldon Daquioag, plated Ravizza for the game-winning run with a line drive into left-center field.
"Get him on, bunt him over, get him in," said SJSU head coach Dave Nakama. "That's the way it should be. I told our guys you can't get swept in conference play. The starting pitching gave us a chance and then we got that one in the eighth inning."
A career-day for Spartans starter Kalei Contrades put San Jose State in position to win the game. In his first-ever start, Contrades achieved career-highs with his 7.2 innings pitched and seven strikeouts. Contrades scattered six hits, and at one point had retired 16 straight UNLV batters.
"You have to give Kalei credit," Nakama said. "He was commanding his fastball on both sides of the plate, and then made them chase with the slider. He did a great job."
SJSU (6-15, 3-6 MW) reliever Myles Richard (1-1) entered the game with two out in the top of the eighth, and retired four straight Rebels to finish the game and earn the win. Richard put an exclamation point on the day by striking out Joey Armstrong looking with a full count to end the game.
San Jose State took the first lead in all three games of the series against the Rebels. Matt Lopez's first-inning double off the wall in right field scored Brett Bautista to give SJSU an early 1-0 lead.
The Spartans took a 2-0 lead by way of a suicide squeeze in the fourth inning. Alec de Watteville successfully got the bunt down while Daquioag charged in from third base.
The Rebels (13-5, 7-2 MW) tied the game in the top of the eighth when Matt McAllister and Justin Jones each had an RBI-single.
After allowing 18 runs on 20 hits in the first game of the series Friday night, San Jose State limited UNLV to a combined four runs on 15 hits in the final two contests. Mike Simonini led the Spartans in hitting over the weekend going 4-for-10 (.400) in three games as the starting third baseman.
SJSU continues the season this Tuesday night at home versus San Francisco. First pitch at Municipal Stadium is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.