By Tajinder Nijjar (@Tj_Nijjar_) – Spear Reporter
A day after allowing a season high eight runs, SJSU baseball (5-5) answered back by putting up 23-2 win over USF (6-3) at home.
The last time the Spartans put up 20 plus runs was March 3, 2019 in a 22-18 win over New Mexico.
Coming into the bottom of the seventh, SJSU was on fire and not even the rain could out its offense. The Spartans were heating up, scoring nine runs on five hits.
Sophomore Jeriah Lewis got the fun started with a two run home run, his first on the season.
Three bats later junior Nik Trapani hit a three run bomb which would mark his first home run as a Spartan.
Later in the inning, Lewis would find himself batting for a second time and eventually get walked as the bases were loaded, bringing in freshman Neil Jansen home for the 20th run of the game and his first run as a Spartan.
SJSU added three more runs in the inning as juniors Hunter Dorraugh and Dalton Bowling scored off walks. Lewis added to the tally by scoring off a wild pitch for the Spartans for the 23rd run of the game.
“It was nice we answered a poor performance yesterday. All around from energy to everything we were really bad yesterday. I challenged the guys we need to be better after yesterday game. We are good and need to better,” head Coach Brad Sanfilippo said after the game.
The offense wasn’t the only thing clicking today as junior Ethan Ross was electric on the mound. Ross started off by striking out five of the first six Dons batters.
Top of third with two outs, Ross gave up the only runs of the game coming off a two-run home run for San Fransisco.
Ross wouldn’t let that phase him, as the following inning he would strike out the first three batters for the Dons.
He pitched five innings and secured his first win of season in his first start of the season.
“He is a really talented athlete and pitcher. He had some setbacks with his health this season. To see him and go out and pitch the way he did is very encouraging for us.” said Sanfilippo.
Next up, SJSU baseball will be against the San Diego State Aztecs on Friday at 1:05 p.m. at home for a three game series.
