May 8, 2017
Lineup. #omahaknows #SJSU #sjsuspartans
A post shared by San Jose State Baseball (@sjsubaseball) on May 7, 2017 at 12:30pm PDT
Box Score
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Every time San Diego State scored, San Jose State had an answer but the Spartans ran out of answers in extra innings, falling 6-5 to the Aztecs on Senior Day.
With the loss, SJSU's (15-30-1, 8-17-1 MW) hopes for qualifying for the Mountain West Conference tournament took a severe hit. The Spartans trail fourth place Air Force by 2 ½ games with only three conference games remaining for both schools. The fifth-place team, Nevada, is two games ahead of the Spartans and have six conference games left to play. Only the top four teams qualify for the conference tournament this season.
The Spartans came back three times in the game, including erasing a three-run deficit in the eighth.
Despite getting just one hit through seven innings, San Jose State came back twice from one run deficits to keep it a 2-2 score.
In the top half of the eighth, the Aztecs seemingly broke the game open, scoring three runs on four hits to make it a 5-2 game.
However, the Spartan offense finally kicked into gear for a two-out rally in the bottom of the eighth. Shane Timmons (1-for-4, 2 R) doubled, followed by a Joseph Stefanki (R, 2 BB) walk. Josh Nashed (1-for-1, 2 RBI) pinch hit for Anders Davidson and smacked a double to left, scoring both Timmons and Stefanki to cut the Aztec lead to 5-4.
Senior Michael Breen (1-for-2, 2 RBI), who was honored during a pre-game ceremony along with fellow seniors Graham Gomez, Joseph Stefanki, Zach Tanner and Jack Veasey, tied the game up at 5-5 with an RBI single. The Spartans had an opportunity to take the lead loading the bases but Aztec reliever Marcus Reyes induced a grounder to end the inning.
The game remained tied 5-5 heading to extra innings when Spartans reliever Josh Goldberg gave up a leadoff double to David Hensley in the 10th. Hensley advanced to third on a wild pitch before being brought home on a squeeze bunt by Ryan Orr.
Unlike the previous three times when the Spartans fell behind, SJSU could not mount a comeback in the bottom of the 10th, quietly going down in order.
Reyes (3-2) was credited with the win as the Aztecs improved to 34-15, 17-7 MW, while Goldberg (2-4) took the loss for the Spartans.
SJSU plays their next six games against non-conference opponents starting with Grand Canyon University. The Spartans play the Lopes in Phoenix, Ariz. for a two game series starting on Tuesday, May 9 at 7:00 p.m. PT.