Feb. 28, 2016
SAN JOSE, Calif. - San Jose State's baseball team saw its early lead disappear late as visiting LMU climbed out of a two-run hole and took the rubber match, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at Municipal Stadium.
The Lions (3-4) scored runs in the fifth and sixth innings to pull even with the Spartans (3-5), and then added the dagger in the top of the ninth. LMU pitching held San Jose State without a hit after the third inning, and yielded just two baserunners from that point on.
Up to that point, the Spartans' offense was rolling. After LMU scored a first-inning run, San Jose State answered with two in the bottom half. With two men down in the inning, Brett Bautista (1-3, two runs, walk) drew a walk and Shane Timmons (1-2, run, double, RBI) doubled off the top of the wall down the left field line to tie up the game. David Campbell (2-4, double, two RBIs) followed up with a base hit back up the box to score Timmons and give the Spartans a 2-1 lead.
The third inning looked to be more of the same, as Campbell stepped the dish with men on first and second and no outs and promptly doubled down the right field line, scoring Bautista from second. That's all they would get, though, as a strikeout and pair of groundouts ended the threat.
LMU's comeback spoiled another good start by Matt Brown, who went 5.1 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits while without walking or striking out any Lions. Hilario Tovar (0-2) made his first appearance out of the bullpen and was tagged with the loss. He threw 3.1 innings and allowed just one hit and no earned runs, but made a critical throwing error on a bunt attempt that came around to score as the eventual winning run.
"We didn't get an out on that bunt play, and I think that was the difference in the game," said Spartans head coach Dave Nakama. "We also had second and third with nobody out and didn't score. We only scored once in that inning but we should have scored twice. I think those two situations cost us the game."
San Jose State has a busy week ahead. It closes out the 10-game, season-opening homestand with visits from Pacific and Michigan on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, before heading to UNLV to open conference play next weekend.