SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose State baseball lead early, but couldn't hold on as they dropped the series opener with Loyola Marymount by a final of 7-5 Friday night at Excite Ballpark. The Spartans led 5-2 before giving up a five-run sixth inning that proved to be too much to overcome.
Entering the top of the sixth with a three-run lead, the Spartans quickly found themselves in a bind after loading the bases without recording an out. The frame started with an error and two bloop singles in the shallow outfield. The first of five LMU runs came across on a bases-loaded hit by pitch, forcing Spartan head coach Brad Sanfilippo to pull starter Spencer Long, who had surrendered just five hits to that point. He was replaced by Dom Eberle.
Eberle induced five ground balls in his relief effort in the inning, however two scored runs on fielder's choices while two others led to RBI base hits. All but two runs were unearned in the frame.
Eberle and fellow reliever Jake Hernandez were spotless from that point forward as they closed the contest with three-straight 3-up, 3-down innings, however the offense was unable to provide any run support despite finishing with 11 hits and 11 runners left on base.
SJSU (5-9) left two runners on in both the sixth and seventh innings, one being left on third in both instances.
The Spartans scored the first run of the contest in the third on a bases-loaded walk. LMU responded in the fourth with two RBI doubles to take a 2-1 lead, however SJSU punched right back with a two-run single by James Shimashita in the home half of the fourth. Two more Spartan runs were plated in the fifth as Reece Hernandez and Troy Viola laced back-to-back triples to the left field corner. Viola's plated Hernandez and the senior then scored himself on a RBI groundout by Drew Williams to take a 5-2 lead.
Ruben Ibarra had three hits for the second time this season to lead the Spartan offense. He also tallied his fifth double of the season, good for a share of the team lead. Ruben Mercado finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Robert Hamchuk had a pair of hits as well.
Long was charged with the loss to drop to 0-2 on the season. LMU starter Josh Agnew (2-1) picked up the win while closer Matt Voelker was credited with his first save of the season. The Lions improved to 6-8 with the win.