By Matt Weiner (@mattweiner20) – Baseball Beat Reporter // Photo Via Kavin Minstry of The Spear
Led by Charles McAdoo’s superb 3-for-5 and four-RBI day at the plate, SJSU (13-10, 6-3 MW) topped Nevada 13-12 for its first series win at Nevada since 2006.
“I knew it was a tough place to play, but I didn’t know it was that tough,” said SJSU head coach Brad Sanfilippo, who was reminded of how tough it was amidst a disastrous ending.
When SJSU sent reliever Jack White out for the eight inning they were up 13-6 and ready to varnish an easy, blowout of a victory.
The win was any neither easy nor a blowout.
“No games are ever safe in a place like Reno,” said Sanfilippo.
White gave up five earned runs, five hits, hit a batter and closer Darren Jansen came in to finish the frame. Jansen struggled, allowing a double to Nevada’s Matt Clayton which made it a 13-11 ball game with two outs and runners on second and third.
SJSU’s closer escaped the jam after getting Henry Strmecki looking on a breaking ball.
In the ninth, with SJSU up 13-11, Jansen gave up an RBI single to JR Freethy after he previously walked Jaxon Woodhouse and Nolan Wilson. Now operating with a narrow one run lead, Jansen extinguished his own fire, getting Taylor Holder to strikeout and Jeff Bauser to groundout to end the drama.
“I’m just really proud that we were able to stay tough and just outlast the moment,” said Sanfilippo.
The late-game bullpen woes overshadowed the stellar offensive performances up until that moment.
Jack Colette scored four of SJSU’s 13 runs, and Dalton Bowling, Hunter Dorraugh and Jeriah Lewis each had an multi-hit and multi-RBI performance and Theo Hardy clubbed his first home run of the season.
The Spartans took a commanding lead during a four-run fourth inning after McAdoo doubled home both Robert Hamchuk and Lewis on a ball that was carried by the howling Reno, Nevada wind. Bowling then brought McAdoo around to score from second on a single, making it 10-4.
Nevada’s (12-15, 3-8 MW) starting pitcher Casey Burfield exited the game with an apparent hand injury after McAdoo’s double and allotted a lofty five earned runs and six total runs in just 2.2 innings of work.
Michael Sarhatt came into relieve Burfield and allowed four earned runs in just 1.1 innings and Dillon Holiday allowed three earned runs in 2.2 innings.
“It was funny like the ball Theo hit it gets up in the air and carries,” said Sanfilippo, who then said McAdoo’s hit his aforementioned double too hard for it to get caught in the jet stream and exit Don Weir Field.
Before the disastrous finale, SJSU’s middle relief was seen as a strong point.
Relievers Jesse Gutierrez, Cade Van Allen and Joey Cammarata allowed a combined two runs in five collective innings after SJSU starter Aaron Eden was pulled by Sanfilippo after giving up four runs in two innings.
SJSU is back on the road and will face New Mexico in a three-game series starting this Thursday.