By Matthew Meyer (@mattmeyersjsu) – Spear Reporter | Sophomore infielder Rohne Klein is rushed by teammates senior Rocco Caballero and redshirt sophomore Trevor Wilson after his game winning hit (Photo courtesy of SJSU Athletics)
San Jose State baseball (10-12, 2-1 MWC) came back from the brink of defeat against the San Diego State Aztecs (12-12, 2-1 MWC) to win 9-8 in ten innings on Saturday.
With graduate student outfielder Brent Cota on second base with one out, sophomore infielder Rhone Klein was tasked to pinch hit for redshirt senior catcher Matteo Mendoza.
Despite Mendoza’s solid day at the plate, SJSU head coach Brad Sanfilippo saw how Aztec senior right-handed pitcher Issac Araiza delivered his fastball that made him think to go to Klein.
“He had a pretty good fastball, a little kind of funky slot with a little ride to it,” Sanfilippo said. “I just thought that it was maybe a little bit of a better matchup for Rhone.”
Sanfilippo’s hunch was right and Klein singled through the hole on the right side of the infield to bring home Cota and win the game for the Spartans in walk-off fashion.
The team stormed out of the dugout and ripped Klein’s jersey off his back to celebrate in the outfield.
https://x.com/SanJoseStateBSB/status/2035557087447560614
“I’m grateful to have an opportunity to get in there,” Klein said. “It was really good to have guys get on and help me out, so I just have to put the ball in play.”
Klein refers to the efforts of both Cota and redshirt junior Alan Ramirez, who battled in a twelve-pitch at-bat and drew a walk before Klein’s walk-off single.
Despite the happiness of the moment, the Spartans also knew that this outcome was the best of a bad situation after they allowed the Aztecs to tie the game in the ninth inning.
Junior right-handed pitcher Tyler Albanese entered the ninth inning protecting a four-run lead and allowed four runs to score on a sacrifice fly, a wild pitch, a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and a bases-loaded walk.
Sanfilippo replaced Albanese with redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Peter Herrick, who produced a flyout to end the inning and give the Spartans a fighting chance.
“We put Peter Herrick in a really tough situation and he responded very well,” Sanfilippo said.
Despite the ninth-inning blunder, the Spartans had a solid day on the mound with sophomore left-handed pitcher Luka Pintar making his second start for the Spartans.
Pintar went 5.1 innings, allowing four earned runs on eight hits and two walks and recording only a single strikeout.
Pintar struggled early, allowing San Diego to take an early three-run lead in the first inning, but settled in for the remainder of his start.
“He did a great job,” Sanfilippo said. “He gave up three in the first and then really kind of settled in and threw up a bunch of zeros.”
Senior left-handed pitcher EJ McGrew was the first Spartan arm out of the bullpen and was dominant on the mound.
In 2.1 innings of work, McGrew allowed no hits, two walks and struck out two batters.
The Spartans’ bats continued to stay hot with eight different Spartans recording at least one hit in the game and five having at least two.
Senior outfielder Alex Fernandes continued his scorching hot start of the season, going 2-for-3 with two walks and scoring three runs.
Fernandes ability to score is further amplified with freshman infielder Peyton Rowles, senior outfielder and right-handed pitcher Jake McCoy and redshirt junior infielder JC Osorio-Agard all beginning to heat up at the plate.
“Everybody’s been behind me and we just trust the guys behind us,” Fernandes said. “We’re all heating up now and being able to have that trust in those guys is really nice to have. I don’t have to go and try to do it myself.”
The Spartans are now 3-2 in extra inning games this season, with all three of their wins being at home.
SJSU wraps up its weekend with a game against the University of Connecticut at 2:35 p.m on Sunday, March 22 at Excite Ballpark.
That will be the second game of a doubleheader for the Huskies, who take on San Diego State earlier in the same day.
