By Haddy Barghouti (@HaddyBarghouti) – Spear Reporter | Senior Zach Chamizo runs the bases during SJSU’s 2-1 win over Utah. (Photo by Alexis Corona-Aguilar – Spear Photographer)
San Jose State’s baseball team (9-4) opened its three-game series against Utah (10-3) with a 2-1 victory on Friday.
Both teams looked strong defensively as they went scoreless in the first two innings and had zero hits.
Left-handed junior pitcher Jesse Gutierrez started for the Spartans as he pitched seven innings and had three strikeouts.
“First couple innings wasn’t my best pitching but we got it done and the defense came up big,” Gutierrez said.
The Spartans built the advantage in the bottom of the third, building a 1-0 lead after an RBI single by senior outfielder Alex Fernandes, with junior infielder Drew Giannini scoring the run.
Fernandes led the Spartans offense with three hits and one RBI, and Giannini also recorded two hits.
“First at bat I knew it was a heavy fastball. I was looking for a fastball I can drive,” Giannini said. “I got one, got a knock and then was able to get over on a fastball and Fernandes did a good job hitting the ball in the middle and then driving me in.”
The Spartans carried their momentum heading into the fourth after senior infielder Zach Chamizos RBI triple extended the lead 2-0.
Utah quickly got an offense spark, as they scored the only home run for either team, after a home run in the top of the sixth, making the score 2-1.
Despite the low scoring game, the Spartans had Utah’s number on offense as they had six hits to Utah’s four.
“We had tough at-bats, made them throw a lot of pitches and did our jobs,” Giannini said. “Chamizo came up big with that sacrifice fly.”
Chamizo had one RBI on only two at-bats.
The Spartans’ defense allowed just one run, the least runs a team has scored against them this season.
Right-handed senior pitcher Nolan George came in for the Spartans at the top of the eighth and had a stellar performance with three strikeouts, allowing just one hit in two innings.
“Nolan shoved, and that was big time, we needed that,” Gutierrez said. “Coming in, punching people out is what we do.”
George has now allowed zero runs for the third game this season.
“It really starts with our starting pitching,” SJSU head coach Brad Sanfilippo said. “Jesse Gutierrez was phenomenal today, Nolan George went into a situation that’s not easy to close out a game today; those are tough outs to get.”
Gutierrez also allowed zero hits through the first five innings.
This was also the Spartans’ first Big 12 win since 2023, when they beat Texas 6-4.
“If we can pitch like that, play the defense the way that we did, it gives us an opportunity to be in ball games, especially against quality people like Utah, they’re dangerous,” Sanfilippo said.
