May 1, 2016
SAN JOSE, Calif. - San Jose State took a 2-1 lead into the ninth inning but saw UNLV come back to tie the game and win it, 3-2, in 11 innings Sunday afternoon at Municipal Stadium.
With the loss, the Spartans (14-29, 6-18 MW) dropped the series to the visiting Rebels (19-24, 10-11 MW) and were denied their fourth win in their last five games.
Josh Nashed started on the bump and saw his stellar outing go for naught. The sophomore right-hander received no decision in a game in which he allowed just one unearned run while scattering six hits in 7.0 innings. Back on March 4, Nashed threw a complete game in Las Vegas but was outdueled by UNLV's D.J. Myers in a 2-1 loss.
San Jose State's 2-1 lead disappeared in the ninth when Matt Brown walked Corey Pool with one out and Cooper Esmay doubled to left field. After Brown got through the 10th unscathed, the Rebels plated a run off Zach Tanner (L, 0-2) in the 11th, marking their first lead since the fourth inning. Ben Wright (W, 2-2) closed it out in the bottom half to finish with 4.2 innings of relief of starter Dean Kremer.
The first three runs of Sunday's ballgame - two of which were unearned - scored without an RBI. A botched rundown between third and home allowed Andrew Yazdanbakhsh to scamper home with the game's first run. Kremer's bases-loaded wild pitch in the sixth tied it up, and a throwing error by Rebel shortstop Nick Rodriguez in the seventh led to Brendt Citta scoring for a 2-1 Spartan lead.
Nashed (2-4, walk, double) added two more hits, giving him six in the last two days, and Joe Stefanki (2-5) posted a two-hit outing as well. Aaron Pleschner (1-4, run), Ozzy Braff (1-4, walk) and Dillan Smith (1-4) rounded out the seven-hit ouput.
Grand Canyon comes to town for a two-game midweek set on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both contests are 6:00 p.m. starts.