April 12, 2014
Las Vegas, Nev. --- San Jose State took a 1-1 tie into the bottom of the eighth inning, but consecutive extra-base hits by the UNLV put the Spartans away 2-1 at Earl E. Wilson Stadium on Saturday.
Patrick Armstrong hit a one-out triple in the eighth, and the next batter Eric Vanmeetren doubled in the game-winning run to give the Rebels (25-10, 13-4) a 2-0 advantage in the Mountain West Conference (MW) series.
"We had our chances to win," said SJSU head coach Dave Nakama. "We had the right guys up at the right time. It just came down to execution and we didn't do it today."
San Jose State (10-25, 5-12 MW) outhit UNLV 10-7 but left eight runners aboard. Four of the runners were left in innings 6-8, and SJSU failed to score with runners on second and third with only one out in the sixth.
"We pitched well," Nakama said. "Jonathan and Myles both pitched really well. We just couldn't come through when it counted."
Spartans starter Jonathan Hernandez threw five innings, allowing five hits, one earned run, with three strikeouts and did not receive a decision. Myles Richard (1-3) pitched the final three innings allowing only the two hits and a run in the eighth.
John Richy (6-2) pitched his third complete game of the season for UNLV. He scattered 10 hits and gave up one earned run while striking out nine.
Andre Mercurio had three hits for SJSU including a game-tying RBI double in the fifth. Alec de Watteville scored on the play.
NOTES: Jacob Valdez went 2-for-4 and took sole possession of ninth place on San Jose State's all-time career hits list...Logan Handzlik (2-1, 4.93) will start for the Spartans in the series finale...SJSU has not been swept in any series during 2014.