By Anfisa Pitchkhadze – Spear Reporter Junior Kyle Calzadiaz on the mound during SJSU’s 8-7 over Utah Valley Feb. 20 (Photo by Lucas Quick – Spear Photographer)
In what looked like a rough day on offense, San Jose State baseball (8-3) secured another win over San Francisco (6-6,) with a 5-2 victory on Saturday afternoon at Excite Ballpark.
The Spartans were trailing 2-1 in the fifth, but had an offensive surge in the bottom seventh recording four runs and six hits.
“I give our offense some credit that we were able to be patient and kind of hang in there until we could find a way,” SJSU head coach Brad Sanfilippo said. “I think we did a pretty good job executing in that inning to put up some runs to score.”
Catcher Jack Vanoncini stepped up for the Spartans in the seventh by earning an RBI, scoring a run while going 2-for-3 on hits.
Vanoncini hit a single leading to senior outfielder and pitcher Jake McCoy, adding a run for SJSU to tie the game 2-2. Vanoncini earned a run shortly after to expand the lead 4-2.
San Jose also saw contributions from infielder JC Osorio-Agard and outfielder Jeriah Lewis, with each player scoring a run and notching an RBI.
Osorio-Agard singled down the middle allowing Lewis to put the Spartans up, 5-2.
Earlier in the bottom of the fourth, senior outfielder Alex Fernandes recorded a sac-fly while the bases were loaded and led to Osorio-Agard giving the Spartans their first run of the game.
“I knew I had to get something in the outfield,” Fernandes said. “I was thinking something in the air, hopefully it’s a hit, but if not you know get that sac fly.”
Fernandes’ sac-fly provided an early offensive spark while going 2-for-3 at bat, scoring a run and an RBI.
“My approach is to move the ball around the park and put some pressure on their defense and that’s exactly what I did today,” Fernandes said.
The Spartans also showcased a strong defensive performance allowing the Dons only two runs thanks to junior pitchers David Thomas and EJ McGrew who recorded five strikeouts in the last four innings.
Sanfilippo praised the pitchers to help keep the Spartans in the game among earlier defensive plays.
“If we’re going to get the kind of effort of pitching from David Thomas and EJ McGrew, it’s really important to take care of the baseball behind us,” Sanfilippo said. “Chamizo came in and made a really good play at third base. Jeriah made a good play in center on a ball that was hit center earlier.”
The Spartans ended up winning the series 2-1 against San Francisco and their next matchup is with Saint-Mary’s on Tuesday afternoon at Moraga, Calif.
