By Jonathan Cañas (@jonathancanas_) – Spear reporter
Robert Hamchuck getting ready to take his at bat against Saint Mary’s. | Photo by Nick Orozco – The Spear
An offensive display of firepower was shown between San Jose State (18-26, 13-12 MW) and Air Force (20-24, 12-10 MW) as four runs were scored in the first two innings.
However, the Spartan bats couldn’t keep up the pressure for nine innings as they lost 8-5. Air Force starter Shim Seungmin went seven innings deep with nine strikeouts. SJSU starter Nolan George threw for five innings and had two strikeouts.
The Falcons got on the board first with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first to make the game 2-0.
Air Force found itself up 4-2 in the top of the fifth before Hunter Dorraugh sent a solo shot over the wall to cut the deficit down to one.
That wasn’t the end of Dorraugh’s heroic antics. With the Spartans down 5-3 in the seventh inning, Dorraugh hit a two-RBI double to tie the game.
With Dorraugh’s three-RBI day, he is the fourth Spartan to have 30 or more RBI’s this season. He also extended SJSU’s home run record with his 37th home run as a Spartan with the solo shot.
Air Force extended its lead 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh inning and never gave up the lead again.
“I thought we pitched relatively well here,” SJSU head coach Brad Sanfilippo said. “We just have to find a way to win the series.”
This series marks the final time the Spartans and Falcons will face-off on the year and the Mountain West standings are as tight as ever.
With the loss, SJSU moved from third place to fifth. There are two more games left in the series and the Spartans hope to remove themselves from being on the outside looking in.
San Jose continues its series against Air Force in Colorado this afternoon.