SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose State baseball got back in the win column with a thrilling 4-3 come from behind victory over Oregon that ended in a walk-off in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Spartans plated two runs in the inning to complete the comeback.
Trailing 3-2 heading into the ninth, Brandon Peterson dug in as a pinch hitter to lead off the inning and was hit on the first pitch. He then advanced to second on a balk and advanced to third on a fly out. James Shimashita promptly drove him in on a RBI single up the middle for the tying run. Shimashita then baited Oregon closer Ryne Nelson into throwing an errant pick-off attempt that scooted to the fence allowing Shimashita to advance all the way to third with just one out.
Head coach Brad Sanfilippo then made the decision to pinch hit Nick Knecht for Ryan Belluomini, who was 1-for-3 at that point. The decision proved to be a good one as Knecht squared up a bunt towards first base and Shimashita tore off for home on the suicide squeeze. Shimashita slid just under the tag for the dramatic winning run as the Spartan bench exploded in celebration of the 4-3 victory.
The win breaks a 10-game losing skid for the Spartans, who improve to 19-26 overall heading into the final nine games of the season, all against conference opponents.
SJSU closer Finn Del Bonta-Smith (3-1) put the Spartans in position for the win as he entered the game in the top of the ninth with one out after Wesley Clawson surrendered a pair of hits. Del Bonta-Smith quickly erased the Oregon threat as an induced groundout and strikeout sent the contest to the bottom of the inning still a one-run game.
Oregon plated two runs in the first inning to take an early lead and added one more in the fifth on a RBI single. Shimashita responded in the home half of the fifth plating Anders Davidson with a RBI double. In the eighth inning, Blake Berry's one out knock made it a one-run game as Nico Malbrough scored from second on the play.
Shimashita and Berry, along with Connor Konishi, all finished with two-hit days as part of the Spartans' eight-hit performance.
Oregon finished with nine hits, but a great outing for the Spartan bullpen kept them at bay as they stranded 10 Ducks on base. Connor Konishi, in his first game back from injury, was tasked with the start and worked 4.1 innings with all three runs and six hits against before giving way for the first arm out of the pen, Zach Wallace. Wallace and Justin Watland limited the Oregon bats to just one combined hit leading up the ninth inning.
Ryne Nelson (2-3) was charged with the loss for Oregon as they dropped to 23-19. Sam Novitske was outstanding at the plate for the Ducks, finishing 4-for-5 with two runs scored.
With the win, SJSU turns their attention back to conference play as they prepare for the final three regular-season series of the 2019 slate. First up is a weekend series against second place San Diego State May 3-5 in San Diego.
