LAS VEGAS – San Jose State baseball's offense continued to roll to the tune of 13 hits and seven runs as the Spartans powered past UNLV 7-3 to win the opening game of the weekend series Friday evening at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
With the win, SJSU improves to 12-4 in conference play and are 18-16 overall. UNLV drops to 20-16, 7-9.
Junior Blake Berry led the way at the plate in an outstanding 3-for-5 showing at the plate with three RBI, two runs scored and a pair of doubles. He was one of four Spartan batters with a multi-hit game as Kellen Strahm, Aaron Pleschner and Nico Malbrough each tallied a pair of hits.
Berry's first double of the night plated the game's first run as Strahm came around to score in the top of the first. James Shimashita then tacked on a run of his own on a RBI flyout.
UNLV struck back with one run in the bottom of the first and two more in the third to take a 3-2 lead into the sixth. The Spartans tied the game there as Nico Malbrough laced a RBI single to left field to plate Nick Knecht.
Three more Spartan runs came across in the seventh as Berry put a barrel into his second double of the night that plated two. Shimashita then doubled up his RBI total with a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing his season total to 24.
Strahm, the Mountain West leader with a .405 average, added an insurance run in the ninth as he blasted a solo home run to left field. It was his team-leading fifth blast of the season. Strahm finished the game 2-for-4 with three runs scored a double and the homer.
On the mound, senior southpaw Andrew Mitchel was tremendous in 6.0 innings of work as he picked up his third win of the season to improve to 3-4. He struck out nine while scattering seven hits and issued five walks. His strikeout total pumps his season tally to 76 punch outs.
Nicholas Morales relieved Mitchel in the seventh and retired all six batters faced in the seventh and eighth before giving way for Fineas Del Bonta-Smith. Bonta-Smith allowed two runners to reach base safely before inducing three-straight flyouts to end the contest.
Game two between the Spartans and Rebels begins tomorrow at 6:05 p.m. PT.
