Feb. 24, 2017
Box Score
STOCKTON, Calif. - Four Spartan pitchers combined to allow just one run on five hits and four walks to Northern Colorado, but fell 1-0 to the Bears on Friday night. SJSU dropped its season record to 1-3.
Northern Colorado (3-5) scored the only run of the game in the top of ninth on an infield hit by Tyler Yamaguchi that scored Cole Maltese. Maltese led off the inning with a bunt single against Spartan reliever Cameron Keup to start things off for the Bears. Keup (0-1) took the loss for the Spartans.
SJSU starter Graham Gomez had a strong outing for the Spartans, going 6 1/3 innings and allowing just hit while walking four and striking out five. With the game still scoreless in the seventh, Gomez was relieved by freshman Jakob Gonzalez after walking Northern Colorado's Payton Tapia with one out.
Gonzalez struck out Evan Johnson, the lone Bear batter he faced before the turning it over to Cameron Keup. With Tapia at third, after a Gonzalez balk and a stolen base, Keup got Yamaguchi to foul out to end Northern Colorado's threat in the seventh.
Meanwhile, the Spartans could only muster two hits on the evening. SJSU faced a dominating effort by Northern Colorado starter Aaron Hamilton who struck out 14 Spartans and walked none to pitch a complete game shutout to earn his first win of the season.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Spartans made things interesting when freshman Kellen Strahm singled to right and advanced to second on an error by Bears outfielder Jack Pauley with two outs.
It was just the second base runner off of Hamilton after David Campbell's single in the second inning.
With Strahm at second, the only time the Spartans were in scoring position all game long, SJSU second baseman Kyle Morrison struck out swinging to end the game.
The third and final day of the round robin games start at 10:00 a.m. PT on Saturday, February 25 between Northern Colorado and San Jose State. The Spartans play another game at 2:00 p.m. against BYU. Both Saturday games will be played at San Joaquin Delta College. The games this week were played in Stockton because San Jose Municipal Stadium, home to the 2017 Spartans, is unplayable due to recent rain.
The Monday, February 27 game against Michigan will also be played in Stockton but at Banner Island Ballpark (404 W. Fremont Street, Stockton, Calif.). First pitch is 5:00 p.m.