April 8, 2018
San Jose, Calif. --- The San Jose State University baseball team (11-19, 4-10 MW) split the doubleheader with Nevada (17-12, 11-4 MW) Sunday at Municipal Stadium.
The Spartans won the nightcap, 6-3, and lost the first game 5-4 to close out the three-game series against the Mountain West Leader Nevada.
"I think this might be our best weekend of baseball," said interim head coach Brad Sanfilippo. "We played them really tough, and I am really happy with how we continued to fight and compete. We were able to get a win in the third game after two emotional losses which is really hard to do."
GAME ONE: SPARTANS 4, WOLF PACK 5
In the 11th inning with two outs, Mike Echavia (3-for-5, 2R, RBI) had the game winning hit when he tripled to right field to score Grant Fennell (3-for-5, R) for the 5-4 Nevada victory.
It was the first time the Spartans have gone to extra innings this season.
Kyle Morrison got things started for the Spartans when he singled to left field with two outs and scored Chris Williams for the 1-0 lead. Morrison was 3-for-4 with an RBI on the day.
In the Spartans eighth, Jordan Jackson relieved Weston Hatten on the mound for Nevada. Connor Konishi (2-for-5, R) singled up the middle, and then Jackson walked the next two batters to load the bases with a 4-1 Nevada lead. The Nevada coaching staff relieved Jackson, and put Ryan Anderson on the pitcher's mound with the bases loaded and no outs.
Anderson hit Brett Bautista (1-for-4, RBI) with a pitch to score Konishi. Chris Williams (2-for-5, R, RBI) then grounded out to second base to bring Aaron Pleschner (0-for-2, R, BB) to home plate to bring the Spartan deficit within one run.
The Spartans tied things up 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth when Samuel Olsson (0-for-1, RBI) grounded out to second to score pinch runner Sawyer Pittman (0-for-1 R) and send the Spartans to overtime against The Pack.
After the Echavia triple at the top of the 11th, Kellen Strahm struck out looking with two outs and a runner on second to end the game.
The winning pitcher was Keone Cabinian (1-1). He allowed one earned run and three hits in his 2.0 innings pitched. Grant Ford picked up his first save of the season striking out two batters in the 11th inning.
GAME TWO: SPARTANS 6, WOLF PACK 3
The Spartans overcame two one run losses this weekend to win 6-3 in game three against Nevada.
Nevada struck first when Weston Hatten (1-for-3, 2R, RBI, HR) homered to left field in the top of the third.
The Spartans answered with a four run third inning. Shane Timmons (1-for-4, R, 2RBI) singled to center field to send Bautista (1-for-3, R) and Pleschner (0-for-3, R) to home plate for the 2-1 lead. Morrison (2-for-4, 2RBI) then singled to center field to score Timmons and Strahm (1-for-3, 2R, BB) for a 4-1 advantage.
Olsson (1-for-4, 2RBI) singled up the middle in the fifth and scored Williams (0-for-3, R) and Strahm to make it 6-2.
The Wolf Pack battled back in the eighth and was one hit away from tying up the ball game. San José State pitcher, Wesley "Clutch" Clawson, had two runners in scoring position with zero outs. Clawson kept the runners at bay with two strikeouts and a pop up to the short stop to end the inning and seal the 6-3 Spartan victory.
The Spartans will travel to Santa Clara Tuesday night for a matchup with the Broncos at Stephen Schott Stadium at 6:00 p.m.