Student-Athlete of the Week - May 19, 2008

Name: Max Peterson
Sport: Baseball
Year: Sophomore
Position: Pitcher

Max Peterson has been named the Spartan Foundation Student-Athlete of the Week for his performance for the baseball team this past weekend in a four-game sweep of Nevada.

Peterson put his best outing as a major college pitcher together in a 2-0 home shutout over Nevada in game one of a doubleheader on Saturday, May 17. His shutout was the second individual clean sheet by a Spartan hurler this year after Ryan Shopshire’s four-hit effort in the second game of a doubleheader, also at home, against Hawai’i back on April 5, 4-0. The Spartans now have two shutouts as a team on the year.

A sophomore left-hander out of San Diego Mesa College, Peterson scattered six hits and issued just one walk. He struck out five and produced 1-2-3 innings in the first, second, fifth and ninth innings. Even in that ninth frame, he put first-pitch strikes over on all three Wolf Pack hitters, getting a pair of ground ball outs, including a leadoff bunt back to him, and a popout. Peterson retired the first six batters of the game ahead of a leadoff single in the third by catcher Tyson Jaquez.

Peterson set down another six straight between a double by Matt Bowman to start the fourth and a Brian Lloyd single to lead off the sixth, striking out Jaquez and Kevin Rodland in succession after a groundout in the fifth. To get out of the sticky situation following the double in the fourth, Peterson induced groundouts on back-to-back pitches, sprinting to the bag to gather first baseman Danny Stienstra’s flip in time on the latter, before a flyout ended the Pack threat.

With the win, Peterson improved his season record to an even 5-5. All five wins have come against WAC opposition, as he is 5-2 with a 3.69 ERA against league foes.

Over his last two appearances, starts at Fresno State and home against Nevada, Peterson is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA over 16.0 innings pitched, with just 11 hits and one walk against him and 10 strikeouts.

San Jose State now travels to the WAC Tournament this weekend in Ruston, La. The Spartans face Nevada on Thursday at 5 p.m. PST.

Past 2007-08 Spartan Foundation Student-Athletes of the Week
August 27 - Jennifer Senftleben, Women's Volleyball
September 4 - Nick Cukar, Men's Soccer
September 10 - Keri Anglin, Women's Volleyball
September 17 - Ismael Ibarra, Men's Soccer
September 24 - Adam Tafralis, Football
October 1 - Matt Castelo, Football
October 8 - Brie Marhenke, Women's Swimming
October 15 - Kristal Tsukano, Women's Volleyball
October 29 - Kelly Crow, Women's Volleyball
November 12 - Stephan Stallworth, Men's Golf
November 19 - C.J. Webster, Men's Basketball
November 26 - Adam Tafralis, Football
December 3 - Natalie White, Women's Basketball
December 10 - Brie Marhenke, Women's Swimming
December 17 - Natalie White, Women's Basketball
January 1 - Justin Graham, Men's Basketball
January 7 - Caitlin Macky, Women's Swimming
January 14 - C.J. Webster, Men's Basketball
January 28 - Kendra Adama, Women's Water Polo
February 4 - Veronica Porte, Women's Gymnastics
February 11 - Silvana Dukic, Women's Tennis
February 18 - Raylyn Cardeno, Women's Gymnastics
February 25 - Brie Marhenke, Women's Swimming
March 3 - Veronica Porte, Women's Gymnastics
March 10 - John Shaffer, Baseball
March 17 - Sarah Taylor, Softball
March 24 - Ashley Tavita, Women's Tennis
April 1- Veronica Porte, Women's Gymnastics
April 7 - Ryan Shopshire, Baseball
April 14 - Cristina Corpus, Women's Golf
April 21 - Danny Stienstra, Baseball
April 28 - Brittany McConnell, Softball
May 5 - Rosco Valentine, Men's Golf
May 12 - Erica Moston, Women's Golf
May 19 - Max Peterson, Baseball