SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose State baseball freshman pitcher Jonathan Clark tossed six innings of perfect baseball as part of a dominating complete game performance to carry the Spartans to a 5-1 victory to complete the series sweep over New Mexico Sunday afternoon at Excite Ballpark.
Clark, a right-hander from San Marcos, California, started a little rocky as he gave up a pair of 2-out base hits in the first inning, the second of which plating the Lobos' lone run, but he quickly settled down to finish with just three hits surrendered. After walking a man in the second inning, Clark went on to retire 21-straight batters until a one-out single in the ninth.
Making his fourth start of the season, Clark improved to 2-0. He struck out four while issuing just two walks and became just the second Spartan pitcher to pitch a complete game this season (Andrew Mitchel vs. Air Force).
While youth stole the show on the mound, offensively it was senior Aaron Pleschner that provided the biggest bat for the Mountain West-leading Spartans. Pleschner was the first SJSU batter to reach base after three full innings of shutout ball by Lobos' starter Drew Gillespie (1-3), doing so with a double down the line in left field with one out in the fourth. The Redwood City, California product finished a team-best 3-for-4 for two runs scored and a RBI.
Following Pleschner's double, the Spartan offense began to roll. A pair of Lobos' errors allowed SJSU to plate their first run in the third inning and tie the game at 1-1. Blake Berry laid down a sacrifice bunt that plated Pleschner and reached first base safely after Gillespie attempted to tag him out himself and had the ball drop out of his glove.
SJSU then had their best inning in the fifth plating three runs on four hits. Troy Viola led off the frame with a double to left field and came home for the first run as Connor Konishi grounded into a fielder's choice. Pleschner then singled to shallow center field to plate Toi Moyer, and Berry plated Pleschner for the final run with a RBI single to right-center.
The Spartans added an insurance run in the seventh as Pleschner scooted him from third on a wild pitch.
Gillespie, despite his phenomenal start, was charged with the loss after 6.0 innings of work with all five runs against. Jared Mang led the Lobos with a pair of hits and plated their lone run.
With the win, SJSU improves to 11-4 in conference play and 17-15 overall while New Mexico drops to 15-17, 6-9. The Spartans will have no time to rest as they welcome Portland in on Monday for a nonconference contest at Excite Ballpark. First pitch is slated for 2:00 p.m. PT.