(Photo by Alex McCreery)
By Jose Garcia (@JoseDGarcia__) — Reporter
The Spartans have started the baseball season strong with an overall record of 5-3. In addition, they were previously on a three game win streak before losing two out of three against the University of Portland. It’s almost as if they are equipped with armor and spears every time they take the diamond. In order to continue playing with seemingly new found impenetrable “armor” the Spartans will need to continue their hot hitting coupled with gutsy pitching.
The Spartans are no stranger to double digits. Their offense has come out the gate red-hot scoring an eye popping 14 runs in three of their first four wins. Their pitching on the other hand, has been a bit more erratic but has shown flashes of promise.
Key contributors such as catcher Omar Gastelum, utility players Charles McAdoo and Hunter Dorraugh, as well as outfielder Robert Hamchuk have led the way on offense. Starting pitcher Micky Thompson, reliever Brady Hill and starting pitcher Aaron Eden have locked it down on the pitching side.
Gastelum, McAdoo, Dorraugh and Hamchuk are a feisty foursome that all have an OPS at or hovering around 1.000. Dorraugh in particular, has been an extra base hit machine swatting seven home runs and three doubles in just eight games. His mind-boggling 1.214 SLG % is evident from those extra bags. Jack of all trades, Charles McAdoo has been a major boost for the offense as he has the second most hits on the team with nine, and leads the team with three stolen bases. McAdoo most notably, was a one-man army on Feb. 20 against Omaha. He filled up the stat sheet as he went 4-6 with a grand slam and 6 RBI.
The Spartans’ pitching is truly the X-factor for their success this season. In the years prior, SJSU has struggled to find consistency in its pitching staff. This season has been no different for them. They have allowed nine or more runs in five of their games and four runs or less in the other three games. If the Spartans continue this seesaw level of production from the pitching side, their bats might not always be able to bail them out.
Thompson, Hill and Eden are three pitchers who have been bright spots for the Spartans’ pitching staff.
Left-handed pitcher Micky Thompson was sensational in his season debut, the only blemish being the six free passes. He pitched five strong innings, only allowed one hit and punched out eight against Omaha on Feb. 19. Brady Hill, a reliever for the Spartans, showcased nasty strike out stuff. In his first outing of the season, he struck out all four batters he faced and holds a solid 3.86 ERA for the young season. Lastly, right-hander Aaron Eden has shown the ability to bounce back after a rough outing. His first start didn’t last long as he only went 1.2 innings allowing three earned runs, on six hits and three walks. In his second outing, he fared much better. Eden went 6.1 innings, giving up only two runs on three hits and two walks. It pays to have a short term memory as a pitcher.
They say home is where the heart is and the Spartans are certainly playing with a lot of heart at home. Luckily for them, they’re currently on a 12-game homestand before having to say goodbye to Excite Ballpark and going on the road.
The Spartans have a golden opportunity in raising some eyebrows this season. If the bats continue to stay hot and the pitching finds its groove, they will make some noise in the Mountain West.