By Dawson Smith – Spear Reporter | Freshman second baseman Peyton Rowles fielding a ground ball | (Photo courtesy of SJSU Athletics)
San Jose State baseball (14-21, 5-7 MW) allowed a two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth inning to disappear, falling 5-4 to the University of Nevada, Reno (19-13, 8-4 MW) in a Mountain West Conference heartbreak at Don Weir Field at Peccole Park on Sunday.
The loss marks a missed opportunity for the Spartans, who are looking for a series win to improve their conference outlook.
With about one month remaining in the regular season, SJSU currently holds the final spot for the Mountain West tournament.
SJSU looks to repeat history as a lower-seeded team to make a run at the Mountain West championship.
“Had a lead in the ninth inning that we couldn’t hold onto; it was disappointing,” head coach Brad Sanfilippo said. “Good energy and effort today trying to get a series. It just didn’t go our way.”
Freshman infielder Peyton Rowles continued his impressive debut season, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Rowles has been Mr. Walkoff for the Spartans this year and it looked like he secured the win in the top of the ninth when his two-run single pushed the Spartans ahead 4-2.
Senior pitcher Dylan Smith delivered a quality start for the Spartans, only allowing the Wolf Pack one run over six innings. Despite allowing nine hits and a walk, Smith recorded four strikeouts.
The Spartans’ offense provided early support, jumping to a 2-0 lead behind clutch, two-out RBI hits from grad student outfielder Brent Cota and red-shirt junior infielder JC Osorio-Agard.
The lead was short-lived in the bottom half of the 9th. Following a pitching change, red-shirt junior pitcher Peter Herrick entered the game with one runner on base.
Herrick allowed a single and recorded a strikeout, a wild pitch moved the potential winning run into scoring position, setting the stage for Nevada’s walk-off victory.
The Spartans look to bounce back at 6 p.m. Wednesday for a non-conference matchup against California at Stu Gordon Stadium in Berkeley.
