March 27, 2014
Pullman, Wash. --- San Jose State got out to an early lead and capitalized on errors in a in a 7-3 win over Washington State in nonconference action Thursday night.
Johnny Melero (1-3) pitched a season-high 6 1/3 innings and allowed only three hits in his first win since April 14, 2012.
"Johnny really stepped up when we needed him," said San Jose State head coach Dave Nakama. "He did a great job pitching out of some trouble. It was a great performance."
The Spartans scored a run in each of the first two innings to give Melero an early lead. When Washington State threatened with bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the fifth, Melero retired three batters in a row and got out of the jam with just one run across.
"That was the turning point right there," Nakama said. "He gets out of that inning with only one run and it was huge."
San Jose State (8-18) went to work early with the bats. Andre Mercurio led off the game with a base hit and came around to score two batters later on Jacob Valdez's single. The Cougars (9-13) tied the game in the bottom of the first, but SJSU got the run right back in the second with Sheldon Daquioag's RBI-single to make it 2-1.
A four-run fifth inning, aided by two Cougars errors, broke the game open and helped SJSU to its first win in a series opener since 2014 Opening Day versus San Diego State.
A single by Brett Bautista started the rally. He scored two batters later when Mike Simonini bunted for a base hit and Cougars third baseman Patrick McGrath threw the ball past the first baseman. The next batter Mercurio made it 4-1 with his second hit of the game, an RBI single. A second throwing error gave SJSU its third run of the inning. Matt Lopez's sacrifice fly to make it 6-1 was the last of the damage in the frame.
"We're doing a good job of getting the ball in play," Nakama said. "It was important for us to hit the ball today to help win the first game of this series."
The Spartans have had double-digit hit totals in five consecutive games. Lopez and Valdez each extended their hit streaks to six games. It is the fifth consecutive game with multiple base knocks for Lopez.
SJSU left-hander Jonathan Hernandez (0-3, 4.20) will start in game two of the series tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. Washington State will also send a lefty, Joe Pistorese (1-1, 2.97).