SAN JOSE, Calif. - The Spartan baseball team returns the Excite Ballpark for a three-game nonconference series against the Creighton Bluejays, Friday through Sunday. Fans can catch Sunday's finale on the Mountain West Network. Daniel Barrera will have the call.
San Jose State (0-4) vs. Creighton (2-1)
Game 1, Friday, 6:00 p.m. | RHP Spencer Long vs. RHP Dylan Tebrake
Game 2, Saturday, 2:00 p.m. | RHP Kevin Kyle vs. RHP Ryan Windham
Game 3, Sunday, 12:00 p.m. | TBA vs. RHP Wyatt Sellers
QUICK GLANCE AT THE OPPONENT
» The Creighton Bluejays started the season 2-1 after taking the first of a doubleheader before rallying in the ninth inning to win the rubber match against Seattle.
» Creighton won both the regular season and Big East Tournament championships last season and was picked to repeat in 2020. Redshirt senior Ryan Mantle and sophomore Jared Wegner were preseason all-conference picks.
» Senior Parker Upton was a second team Preseason All-American selection by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).
» Creighton is led by 16th-year head skipper Ed Servais, who has led the Bluejays to five NCAA Tournament appearances, including last season.
LAST TIME OUT
» The Spartans opened the season with a four-game series against Santa Clara. The Broncos won all four.
HISTORY LESSON
» This will be the first meeting between the Bluejays and Spartans in the programs' histories.
THE LONG BALL IS BACK, BACK, BACK...
» After hitting just 11 roundtrippers in 2019, SJSU has already put a dent into that total by hitting two homers in the opening series. Ruben Ibarra knocked out the first, a 2-run shot that tied game one in the bottom of the eighth. Ryan Belluomini hit the other, another 2-run bomb.
IBARRA'S TRIUMPHANT RETURN
» After having to set in the bleachers the entirety of 2019, designated hitter/first baseman was thirsty for his chance to get back on the diamond. He wasted no time getting back into the flow of things as he batted .417 with five hits, a double and a homer over the opening series.
SO MANY QUESTIONS
» With the loss of their Friday and Saturday starters, the Spartans have plenty of questions regarding their bullpen this season. Fortunately, they snatched up 10 new arms in the offseason to help sort it all out. Junior college studs Kevin Kyle and Sean Prozell are among the top choices as the Spartan staff looks to settle on their weekend rotation.
NEWCOMERS READY TO CARRY THE LOAD
» The Spartans added 19 newcomers to the squad in the offseason. The crop balances with 11 JUCO players and eight high schoolers.
» In the opening series against Santa Clara, seven position players and eight pitchers made their Spartan debuts. Freshman Robert Hamchuk made all four starts in centerfield for his first collegiate action.
SPARTANS IN THE DRAFT
» Last season saw three of the Spartans' top performers selected in the 2019 MLB Draft. The three selections were the most of a single draft class since 2011 when four Spartans were picked.
» Kellen Strahm was taken with the 145th overall pick by the Texas Rangers in the fifth round. He is the highest drafted Spartan since Zach Jones (130 - 4th round) in 2012.
» Pitchers Andrew Mitchel and Fineas Del Bonta-Smith also got the call to the show. Mitchel was an eigth-round pick by the San Diego Padres while Bonta-Smith was picked up in the 22nd round by the Colorado
Rockies.
NEW FACES ON THE BENCH
» With the exception of head skipper Brad Sanfilippo, the Spartan coaching staff saw a complete remodel in the offseason. Sanfilippo brought in Ross Gusky from Saint Mary's and Thomas Walker from Golden West College. Gusky is in charge of the pitchers while Walker serves as the hitting coach. A couple of volunteer assistants are new as well as former LMU player Spencer Erdman and former Spartan Alex Davis join the crew.
READY FOR THE BOUNCEBACK
» Last season, then-junior Johnny Mendoza was the team's top catcher and started the first two months before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Now as a senior, Mendoza is back to form and is a leader on and off the diamond. He is the team's career leader in multi-hit games (20) and multi-RBI games (17).