Stanford, Calif. – San José State outhit and outplayed No. 10 Stanford for much of Tuesday night's ballgame but it was the Cardinal who ultimately escaped with the 8-7 victory at Sunken Diamond.
The Spartans totaled 10 hits on the evening to Stanford's six and played nine innings of error-free baseball. The game marked the only contest of the season between the Cardinal and SJSU.
Freshman Charles McAdoo enjoyed another impressive day offensively, continuing his hot start to the month of May by going 2-for-5 at the plate with one home run and three RBI.
hang this swing in the Louvre@McadooCharles game-tying homer ?? pic.twitter.com/lfbjZocqm8
— San José State Baseball (@SanJoseStateBSB) May 12, 2021
After putting a pair of single-run innings on the scoreboard in the first and fourth frames, the visitors from San José posted their first of two multi-run innings in the top half of the fifth.
Sophomore Taylor Justus opened the frame with a 3-2 walk in the leadoff spot and would come around to score three batters later on an RBI groundout off the bat of Reece Hernandez. McAdoo would then cut the home team's lead to 6-4 later in the rally with a single through the left side that scored fellow freshman Theo Hardy from third.
The comeback didn't stop there as head coach Brad Sanfilippo's club plated three in the top of the seventh to turn a three-run deficit into a 7-7 tie.
An Ibarra sac fly down the right field line scored the team's first run of the inning and a two-run bomb off the bat of McAdoo evened the score later in the frame. The home run marked the second of the freshman's career and was San José State's second of the night after James Shimashita's solo shot (his first of the season) in the fourth.
IF IT'S FAIR IT'S TROUBLE @james_shimmy big fly ?? pic.twitter.com/1DXuOUDNJz
— San José State Baseball (@SanJoseStateBSB) May 12, 2021
Before the Cardinal ended the game with a walkoff home run, the Spartans made some more noise in the top of the eighth. The team loaded the bases with just one out and brought both of its home run hitters on the night to the dish but was unable to bring the go-ahead run across.
Seven pitchers toed the rubber for San José State on Tuesday evening. Senior Will Tomlinson got the start and struck out two in two innings of work, allowing just one run in the process.
Senior Sean Prozell and sophomore Trevor Ernt were both impressive in relief as each worked 1.2 innings without allowing any hits or runs. Ernt struck out the side in the eighth and earned a pair of punchouts in his appearance out of the bullpen.
The Spartans will now look to bounce back as they wind down their 14-game road trip this weekend at Air Force. The four-game series against the Falcons is scheduled to start on Friday morning at 11:00 a.m. (MT).