By Matthew Meyer – Spear Reporter | SJSU freshman infielder Peyton Rowles drills a ball to right field while senior outfielder Alex Fernandes watches from third base (Photo by Matthew Meyer – Spear Photographer)
Clear skies, bright sun and warm weather finally made its way to Excite ballpark, all in time to witness San Jose State baseball’s (3-3, 0-0 MWC) 7-3 win over University of San Francisco (4-2, WCC 0-0) on Saturday.
Senior infielder JC Osorio-Agard led the Spartans with four RBIs, hitting a two-run blast in the eighth inning that also scored graduate student outfielder Brent Cota.
“JC is unbelievably talented,” SJSU head coach Brad Sanfilippo said. “We’re just trying to find that consistency with him.”
Osorio-Agard, Cota and freshman infielder Peyton Rowles each finished with multiple hits, with Cota going 3-for-4 and Rowles going 2-for-4.
Rowles’ offensive performance as the No. 9 hitter in Game 1 impressed Sanfilippo, who made the decision to move him up to the No. 2 spot for Game 2.
“[Rowles] a really talented player,” Sanfilippo said. “I wanted to figure out a way to lengthen the lineup a little bit today, so we moved him into two and he had a great day.”
Rowles hit an RBI triple in the first inning that scored senior outfielder Alex Fernandes for the first run of the game and also scored two runs himself.
Senior pitcher David Thomas started the game for the Spartans, going 4 2/3 innings and striking out a season high of five batters.
He gave up only two runs on five hits, one being a solo home run to USF graduate student infielder TJ Rogers.
Thomas’ outing was far better than his first start of the season against Long Beach State, where he only lasted two innings and gave up five runs on four hits.
“I was really happy to see that he’s continuing to progress to get to be the guy that we know he is and can be,” Sanfilippo said.
Thomas left the bases loaded in the fifth inning after walking two batters in a row, setting the stage for sophomore pitcher Luka Pintar to try to get out of the jam.
Pintar struck out USF redshirt sophomore Jackson Nystrom on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.
“He’s been really good,” Sanfilippo said. “We’re trying to figure out roles for these guys, but so far, he’s proven that he’s gonna have an important role.”
Pintar finished the remaining 4 1/3 innings, striking out five batters and surrendering only one run on three hits and earning the win. His ERA sits at 2.25 for the season.
Alongside tremendous offense and great pitching, the Spartans also had a solid defensive day highlighted by a diving catch by senior infielder Rocco Caballero to rob USF junior outfielder Isaiah Landry of a hit in the third inning.
Senior outfielder Jake McCoy also got in on the action, recording an outfield assist in the seventh after he made a perfect throw to Caballero at shortstop to gun down USF sophomore outfielder Eddison Esquivel who was trying to stretch his double into a triple.
The Spartans will play the final game of the series at 1:00 p.m Sunday, Feb. 22 at Benedetti Diamond in San Francisco, where senior pitcher Dylan Smith will get his first start of the season.
“I’m excited to see him get the start tomorrow,” Sanfilippo said. “Just got to find a way to pitch and play defense and continue getting this offense going.”
