By Daniel Reedy:
San Jose State (9-14) got completely annihilated.
Host Hawaii (16-8) completed the four-game series sweep with a resounding 14-1 victory this evening.
Rainbow Warrior starter Jackson Rees took the win after throwing eight innings of one-run ball. Rees wasn’t perfect, walking four and plunking two, but allowed only five scattered hits to the Spartans’ lineup. Currently Hawaii’s No. 4 starter, Rees leads the team in walks but remained undefeated this season, advancing to 3-0.
Rees’ counterpart, SJSU starter Graham Gomez, lasted just 2 ⅔ innings, giving up 4 runs before he was relieved by Josh Goldberg. Goldberg gave up the ‘Bows 5th run in the third inning and was pulled before the following frame.
Head coach Jason Hawkins sent out seven more relievers who pitched the last five innings, conceding 9 runs, all earned.
Reliever Joseph Balfour took the mound in the sixth inning with a 0.82 ERA but gave up 4 runs before getting pulled without recording an out.
First baseman Adam Fogel led the way for the ‘Bows, going 2-2 with a HR, 3 RBIs and two walks. Fogel pounded SJSU this series, finishing 9-12 with 8 RBIs.
Fogel was one of five ‘Bows with two hits tonight and Hawaii’s hitters finished with a .361 average against Gomez and company.
Comparatively, the Spartans hit .178. The ‘Bows 14 runs tonight equate to SJSU’s run output for the entire series.
Although they managed just one run, the Spartan bats weren’t completely quiet. Kellen Strahm’s 16-game hitting streak did end Thursday but he went 2-3 tonight — the only Spartan with more than one hit. After Thursday, Strahm went 3-8 and is up to .341.
Chris Williams, Joe Stefanki and Shane Timmons had SJSU’s other 3 hits. Stefanki scored the only run and Timmons is credited with the Spartans’ lone RBI.
Shortstop Aaron Pleschner entered tonight’s contest 7-13 for the series but was shut down, going 0-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
One positive takeaway for the Spartans was their strong play in the field over the four-game series. SJSU’s defense allowed just one unearned run and made only two errors on the Hawaii trip.
The Spartans return home and look to break their five-game losing streak Wednesday, hosting Santa Clara at 7 p.m.
