SANTA CLARA, Calif. – San Jose State baseball has started the season 3-0 after completing a series sweep over Santa Clara with a 20-10 win Monday at Stephen Strauss Stadium. It is the first 3-0 start for the Spartans since winning six-straight in 2011.
SJSU's 20 runs are the most since a 20-8 win over Brown on March 28, 2012.
Freshman James Shimashita continued his remarkable start to his career with another 3-RBI performance to bring his series total to nine after tallying six in Sunday's doubleheader. Johnny Mendoza was a sizzling 4-5 at the plate with four RBI and two runs scored.
Connor Konishi, Kellen Strahm and Blake Berry each finished with three hits and multiple RBI.
The scoring got started in the first inning off the bat of Shimashita as he plated two on single to center field. Santa Clara (0-3) answered however as they tallied five runs off of Spartans' starting pitcher Ben Polack, making his collegiate debut, on a bases-loaded walk, 2-RBI double and 2-RBI triple.
Polack was lifted in the second inning in favor of fellow newcomer Mitchell Miller, who allowed two runs on four hits in 3.0 innings while striking out three.
Both teams added a run in the second inning. Berry drew a bases-loaded walk and the Broncos scored on a double play. Trailing 6-3 heading into the third, Konishi plated a pair on a single through the left side to tighten things at 6-5. Mendoza tallied his first of four RBI in the fourth on single to center field to tie the score at 6-6 in the fourth inning.
Santa Clara regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run by Jason Dichochea and a bases-loaded hit by pitch to bring the score to 8-6, however the Spartans quickly blew the game open with a six-run sixth inning.
Mendoza started the scoring spree with a RBI single and Strahm scored Nico Malbrough on an infield single. Berry tallied his second RBI of the contest on another single and Mendoza recorded his third and fourth RBI on a triple to right. Shimashita put a cap on the inning with a RBI single to left.
Santa Clara scored their final two runs of the night in the bottom of the sixth. Not satisfied with a 13-10 lead, the Spartans exploded for seven more runs in the seventh inning. Konishi knocked in a run on a single to left and a pair of errors allowed two more runs to score.
Berry put a cap on his stellar night with a RBI single to right field. The junior transfer finished the night 3-4 with three RBI and three runs scored. Konishi finished with identical numbers.
The Spartans notched their final three runs on a 2-RBI single by Troy Viola and another error made in right field that allowed Viola to score.
SJSU (3-0) finished the game 19-of-45 at the plate as a group and tallied 16 RBI while drawing 16 walks.
Anders Davidson (1-0) took the mound from Mitchel to start the fifth and tossed 3.0 innings allowing two runs, one earned, and waving a pair to pick up his first win of the season. Santa Clara's Michael Praszker (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing six runs, five earned, in 2.2 innings of relief duty.
SJSU will make a quick turnaround as they host Pacific on Tuesday in the home opener. First pitch is slated for 5:30 p.m. at Municipal Stadium.
