San Diego, Calif. – San José State looked sharp early on Sunday but was unable to parlay a 2-0 lead into a victory in its series finale at San Diego State.
The first-place Aztecs ultimately prevailed on Senior Day at Tony Gwynn Stadium, earning an 8-3 win to remain at the top of the Mountain West standings. The contest marked game number nine of a 14-game road trip for the Spartans.
Freshman Charles McAdoo enjoyed another solid day offensively, going 1-for-3 with one RBI, one run scored and one walk. His fourth-inning RBI single extended his hitting streak to four games.
stay hot, @McadooCharles ??
— San José State Baseball (@SanJoseStateBSB) May 9, 2021
the freshman extends his hitting streak to four games and puts us ahead 1-0 with this RBI single ?? pic.twitter.com/fvkyRk81q9
That base knock up the middle marked the first run of Sunday's ballgame and the visitors from Silicon Valley doubled their lead to 2-0 when Ruben Mercado scored McAdoo with a sacrifice fly to right field. Mercado has now notched three RBI in his last five appearances.
Junior Jonathan Clark - the Mountain West's reigning Pitcher of the Week - got the start on the mound for SJSU and was just about perfect for the first five frames of Sunday's contest.
Clark got through those first five innings in less than 50 pitches without allowing a run, facing the minimum and not allowing a hit after surrendering a leadoff single to start the game. The right-hander finished the day allowing just three hits while striking out two in six innings of work.
Upperclassmen Wesley Clawson and Darren Jansen also toed the rubber for San José State on Sunday. Jansen impressed in his lone inning of work, throwing just nine pitches while striking out one in his hitless and scoreless frame.
The defensive play of the game - and perhaps the season - was made by first baseman Ruben Ibarra in the bottom half of the fifth. With the conference-leader in batting average and RBI at the plate, Ibarra made an over-the-shoulder grab deep in foul territory to send the Aztecs top hitter back to the dugout.
brb, lifting my jaw off the floor@salty_rube x #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/1k8via9d47
— San José State Baseball (@SanJoseStateBSB) May 9, 2021
Mounting a late rally for a second consecutive contest, the Spartans loaded the bases in both the eighth and ninth innings as they refused to go down quietly.
The visitors would scratch one more run across in the top of the ninth as senior Andrew Jurado came in to score on a wild pitch with two outs.
SJSU's longest road trip of the season continues with a showdown at No. 14 Stanford on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. at Sunken Diamond.