Davis, Calif. - Continuing its 14-game road trip with the start of a three-game series at UC Davis, the well-traveled Spartans picked up a split in Saturday's doubleheader at Dobbins Stadium.
San José State (5-13) took the series opener, starting the day with a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Aggies.
SJSU secured 16 hits for the day and was led by upperclassmen Ruben Ibarra (four hits, one home run, three RBI) and Reece Hernandez (two runs).
Head coach Brad Sanfilippo's club will return to action and go for the series win against his alma mater on Sunday afternoon against UC Davis. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.
Singles - Game 1 (W, 4-3)
- The Spartans jumped out to a 4-0 lead, a binge that began with an Ibarra RBI single in the top half of the first to score Hernandez.
- Ibarra homered for the sixth time in his last seven games in the third, a two-run shot to extend his team's advantage to 3-0.
this is what we in the biz like to call a "no-doubter"#SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/8j0C4vfACD
— San José State Baseball (@SanJoseStateBSB) May 1, 2021
- Freshman Jackson Forbes continued his hot run of play with an RBI single in the fourth to plate Andrew Jurado.
- Right-hander Jonathan Clark went six strong frames, striking out seven while allowing just one earned run in his first win of the season.
- Senior Josh Zanger gave his club two excellent innings out of the bullpen, notching a pair of strikeouts while surrendering just one hit and no runs.
- Reliever Darren Jansen earned his second save of the season as he worked the bottom of the ninth.
- Senior Jack Colette made the game-saving and game-winning catch in that ninth, a diving effort out in center that ended the contest and saved two runs.
- The win marked the program's first victory in the first game of a doubleheader since Opening Day in 2019.
Singles - Game 2 (L, 12-2)
- Ibarra, Colette and senior Connor Konishi all secured multi-hit games in the second contest of the afternoon.
- The Spartans jumped out to another lead, earning a 1-0 advantage on an RBI groundout off the bat of Dalton Bowling in the second.
- The club's other run came in the top half of the fifth on a Kai Saterstrom sacrifice fly (scored Ibarra).
- SJSU's defense shined early as the team escaped a bases loaded, nobody out jam in the bottom of the first.
making it look easy ??
— San José State Baseball (@SanJoseStateBSB) May 1, 2021
Spartans get out of a bases loaded, nobody out jam with a fly to right and this double play. pic.twitter.com/MjPyu8ekgv
- Trevor Ernt, Sean Prozell and Will Tomlinson took to the mound for the Spartans in game two.
- Ernt and Prozell each recorded a pair of strikeouts while Tomlinson finished the afternoon with one.