SAN JOSE, Calif. – David Thomas tossed a nine-inning complete game while allowing just three runs (two earned) on six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks to lead the San José State baseball team (19-24, 6-10 MW) in a 8-3 victory over Grand Canyon (16-27, 6-10 MW) Friday night from Excite Ballpark in the first game of a three game series.
The Spartans wasted little time getting on the board, manufacturing a run in the first inning when Jake McCoy lifted a sacrifice fly to score Alex Fernandes, who had doubled to open the game. They extended the lead in the third when McCoy launched a two-run homer to left, giving San José State a 3–0 cushion.
After Grand Canyon scratched across an unearned run in the fourth, the Spartans responded in the fifth. With two runners on, JC Osorio-Agard crushed a three-run homer to left-center, stretching the lead to 6–1 and firmly shifting momentum in favor of the home side.
San José State tallied eight runs on eight hits. McCoy and Osorio-Agard each drove in three runs, while Rocco Caballero added insurance in the eighth with a two-run homer. Fernandes and Peyton Rowles combined for four hits, three of which were for extra bases.
On the mound, Thomas (4-4) earned the win in what was one of his strongest outings of the season. The right-hander went the distance for the third time this season, limiting Grand Canyon’s opportunities, as the Lopes finished just 1-for-2 with runners in scoring position.
Grand Canyon showed brief life in the eighth inning with a solo home run and an RBI knock, but the Spartans quickly answered in the bottom half with Caballero’s home run to put the game out of reach.
- Thomas is now one of five pitchers in the nation to have three complete games this season
- Two of Thomas’ complete games this season have been nine innings
- McCoy went 1-for-3 with a home run, a sac-fly, three RBIs and a walk
- McCoy’s home run was his 14th of the season, putting him tied for fifth on the SJSU single season most all-time home run list
- This was also McCoy’s 23rd home run of his career, putting him tied for seventh on the all-time SJSU career home run list
- McCoy has notched seven RBIs in the last two games and has multiple RBIs in five of his last six games
- McCoy now has 12 multi-RBI games this season the most on the team
- McCoy has also hit a home run in six of his last eight games
- Osorio-Agard’s home run was his fourth of the season
- This marks Osorio-Agard’s fourth game this season with three or more RBIs
- Caballero finished 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs
- Caballero’s home run was his third of the season
- Fernandes went 2-for-5 with a double and a triple
- Fernandes now has 20 multi-hit games this season, the most on the team
- Fernandes has 10 triples in his career as a Spartan, putting him tied for eighth all-time at SJSU
- Rowles captured his 18th multi-hit game of the season and extended his on base streak to 20 games
UP NEXT: The Spartans will play game two of the three game series against Grand Canyon tomorrow at 2:05 p.m. from Excite Ballpark. The game can be watched on Mountain West Network.
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