By Sandeep Chandok:
A walkoff single by Nevada’s Justin Bridgman evened up the series against San Jose State.
It was 4-3 Spartans (13-19-1, 7-8-1 MW) with three outs to go and junior righthander Hilario Tovar on the mound.
Tovar, who had sparked a crucial double play in the bottom of the eighth, quickly exited the ninth after he hit a batter and walked the next with no outs.
Freshman righthander Jakob Gonzalez relieved Tovar and blew his chance at a save.
With two runners on, junior outfielder Chase Grant singled to tie the game at 4 and load the bases.
Bridgman finished it off for the Wolfpack (10-26, 6-11 MW) with his game-winning single.
Prior to SJSU’s ninth inning debacle, the Spartans had trailed through five innings before junior outfielder Kyle Blakeman’s RBI groundout tied it at 3-all in the top of the sixth.
In the seventh, SJSU captured its first lead with Shane Timmons’ infield hit to knock in Jack Veasey. Had the bullpen held the Wolf Pack, Veasey would’ve scored game-winning runs in back-to-back games.
Nevada’s starter Mark Nowaczewski threw all 9 innings, striking out just one batter and beaning three Spartans. Nowaczewski is second in the mountain conference in beanballs, behind only SJSU’s Matt Brown.
Senior righthander Zach Tanner held down the mound for the Spartans in the seventh and part of the eighth going 1⅓ innings without allowing a hit.
The Spartans totalled 8 hits, 3 of which came off the bat of infielder Michael Breen.
All five of the meetings between SJSU and Nevada this year have been 1-run finishes, and though the Spartans have already won the season series, a win tomorrow would secure a second individual series victory over the Wolf Pack.
First pitch is at 1 p.m.