By Lindsey Boyd and Taylor Lupetti:
The luck of the Irish was on the Spartans’ side last night.
Junior Kyle Blakeman smacked a single over the left fielder to clinch a 6-5 walk-off win for the Spartans over Nevada.
“It felt really good,” Blakeman said. “Good to get a win on the first night of the conference series.”
Water went flying as his teammates rushed the field, Gatorade bottles in-hand to shower him in celebration. Whether the team was celebrating the end of the four-and-a-half-hour game or the first win of the weekend series is anyone’s guess.
With zero wasted time, Kellen Strahm kept his hitting streak alive in the first inning. He ripped the ball flying down center field, smacking the fence with a triple, marking 13 straight games with a hit.
“Kellen is strong,” said head coach Jason Hawkins. “He’s been an offensive weapon for us all year.”
Timmons followed with a single to bring in Strahm and give SJSU a 1-0 lead.
The Spartans adjusted their green caps and got to work in the fifth inning with the game level at 1.
Strahm charmed the field again as he doubled into center field to bring home Junior Kyle Morrison. Between Timmons, Joseph Stefanki and Justin Beck, SJSU drew in three more runs. The fifth frame ended 5-1.
The Wolf Pack leveled the game in the eighth inning when they retaliated with four runs, tying the game 5-5.
It wasn’t until the bottom of the 12th inning when Blakeman sent the silver bullet of a ball flying to usher Strahm home from third for the 6-5 win.
Nevada boasted four players with multiple hits, including centerfielder Cole Krzmarzick who went 4-6. Kaleb Foster was not in the two-hit club but led the Wolf Pack with a pair of RBIs.
Wolf Pack starter Trevor Charpie was run out of the game by SJSU’s fifth-inning barage, conceding five runs over four and two thirds innings.
The Spartans and the Wolf Pack face-off again for game two of the series today at 4 p.m.