March 11, 2017
Lineup. #omahaknows #sjsu #sjsuspartans
A post shared by San Jose State Baseball (@sjsubaseball) on Mar 11, 2017 at 12:30pm PST
Box Score
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The San Jose State University baseball team got off to a quick start to take a 8-2 lead through three and a half innings, but the New Mexico Lobos scored 14 unanswered runs to defeat the Spartans 16-8 on Saturday afternoon.
The Spartans scored atleast a run in each of the first four innings against Lobos starter Jonathon Tripp.
In the first, Corey Olivet (1-for-5, R) and Kellen Strahm (3-for-5, 2R, 3SB) hit back-to-back singles to start the game. For the freshman Strahm, it extended his hit streak to 10 games. Tripp then hit Shane Timmons to load the bases with no out. Joseph Stefanki, who went hitless in the game to snap his nine game hitting streak, grounded into a double play, scoring Olivet.
In the second frame, Josh Nashed followed Chris Williams' (2-for-5, 2R) double with a two-bagger of his own to drive in SJSU's second run of the game.
The Lobos scored a run of their own in the bottom half of the second. Beau Capanna singled to drive in Jared Mang, who was hit by Spartan starter Matt Brown and stole second to get into scoring position.
The Spartans put up four runs in the third inning on four hits and two New Mexico errors. Justin Beck (1-for-4, R, RBI) and Aaron Pleschner (2-for-5, R, RBI) each had RBI singles followed by a two-RBI single by Nashed. For the game, Nashed (2-for-4, 3RBI) led the Spartans with three RBIs.
With the Spartans ahead 6-2 in the top of the fourth, Timmons (1-for-4, HR, 2RBI) hit a two-run homer over the left field wall to put the Spartans up by six runs, 8-2.
From that point on, it was all Lobos as they scored 14 unanswered runs.
New Mexico put up three runs in the fourth, five runs in the sixth and six runs in the seventh against Spartan starter Matt Brown and a quintet of relievers.
The SJSU bullpen, a strong suit for the team this season, gave up 11 hits and 6 earned runs in 2 2/3 innings. New Mexico is now batting .355 on the season and averaging over 10 runs a game.
Hilario Tovar, who relieved Brown took the loss. He is 0-1 this season.
New Mexico's Austin Isenhart who came in to relieve the starter Tripp, picked up the win to move to 2-0.
The Spartans generated a season-high 13 hits in the game and also stole seven bases, three by Strahm, two by Olivet, and one each by Pleschner and David Campbell.
The series finale is set for Sunday, March 12 at 1:00 p.m. MT. Lefty Graham Gomez (0-0, 6.75) will take the mound for the Spartans, while the Lobos will send Luis Gonzalez (1-1, 7.04).