EUGENE, Ore. – San José State gave No. 8 Oregon all it could ask for in Tuesday's series opener, a lid-lifter that ultimately resulted in an 11-7 victory for the host Ducks (25-9).
The Spartans (4-11) brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning but were unable to complete the comeback attempt. Tuesday's meeting marked the first game in program history against Oregon in Eugene.
SJSU first baseman Ruben Ibarra enjoyed another tremendous day at the plate, leading his team with three RBI while scoring one run himself. Ibarra smashed his fourth home run in his last five games in the fifth inning, sending a 2-1 pitch over the left field wall and deep into the Eugene evening.
that one's on its way to klamath falls! @salty_rube leaves the stratosphere for his fifth home run of the season.#SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/UaIgD4q22k
— San José State Baseball (@SanJoseStateBSB) April 28, 2021
Senior Reece Hernandez had the club's other multi-RBI performance, while freshman Jackson Forbes went 2-for-3 with two runs, one walk and one hit-by-pitch.
Forbes also helped turn a sensational double play in the bottom half of the seventh, going full extension to make a diving catch behind the bag at second before getting to his feet to double up the Oregon runner that was on first.
hey @sportscenter do you take requests?#SCTop10 x @jacksonforbes01 pic.twitter.com/SvIRwyjfDR
— San José State Baseball (@SanJoseStateBSB) April 28, 2021
San José State jumped out to a 3-0 advantage in this one, striking for a single run in the second on a Hernandez RBI groundout and two more in the third on run-scoring singles from Ibarra and senior Connor Konishi.
A pair of pitchers toed the rubber for SJSU on Tuesday. Senior Sean Prozell made his first start of the season and went three innings while southpaw Ben Polack struck out four in five frames of work.
Down to its final three outs and down six runs, the Spartans chose to run to the fight instead of going quietly into the night.
The team's first four batters of the ninth inning reached safely, adding a run when Ibarra doubled in Forbes with another loud hit. The deficit was then cut to 11-7 four batters later on a Hernandez RBI single back up the middle.
San José State will look to salvage a split of the two-game set on Wednesday afternoon at PK Park. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. against the top-10 opponent out of the Pac-12.