LAS VEGAS – San Jose State baseball overcame a 3-0 deficit, but was unable to hold on as the Spartans fell to UNLV by a final of 4-3 as a walk-off double in the 11th inning lifted the Rebels to the win and even the series at 1-1 Saturday night at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
The Rebels jumped out to a 3-0 advantage after three innings of play before the Spartans began chipping away at the lead in the fourth as Nick Knecht plated SJSU's first run with a sacrifice fly. Two more Spartan runs came across in the sixth inning as James Shimashita plated Brandon Peterson with a RBI groundout and Blake Berry scored on a wild pitch.
After three innings of back and forth ball, the game was sent into extra innings. Spartan reliever Wesley Clawson, who took the bump from Tevin Cadola to start the sixth, was rock-solid giving up just one hit heading into the 11th inning. The sophomore worked 5.1 innings with six strikeouts and issued just three walks.
SJSU had the first crack to plate runs in the 11th inning as Knecht found first base by way of a walk and Ryan Belluomini laced a base hit to put two runners on with two outs. A popup, however, ended the threat sending the game to the home half.
In the bottom of the 11th, UNLV took advantage of a leadoff walk as Grant Robbins laced a one-out double down the left field line that allowed Duke Pahukoa to score from first for the game-winning run. The Rebels walked off with the 4-3 win.
SJSU drops to 12-5 in conference play and 18-17 overall while the Rebels picked up their first win in five tries over the Spartans to improve to 21-16, 8-9.
Cadola made his eighth start of the year for the Spartans and scattered five hits and tallied seven punch-outs over 5.0 innings of work. Clawson was charged with the loss to drop to 2-3. UNLV used three arms with starter Ryan Hare going 7.0 innings. Jackson Cofer pitched 3.0 innings while the win went to Paul Richy, who worked the final inning.
SJSU out-hit the Rebels 8-7. Nico Malbrough tallied his second-straight two-hit game to lead the Spartans.
The rubber match between the Spartans and Rebels begins tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. PT.