By Chris Estrada (@estradadotc ):
On a night where offense was everywhere, San Jose State baseball got the short end of the stick against conference leader Nevada, 10-9.
The offense matched its total of the past three games but the pitching continued to be a problem against Nevada (16-11, 10-3 MW).
When a team scores nine runs and gets 15 hits, they would expect to win those games. Saturday was not one of those games for the Spartans (10-18, 3-9 MW).
“If you want to beat Nevada you have take a few chances and be aggressive,” interim head coach Brad Sanfilippo said after the loss.
The Spartan bats came alive right away with five runs in the first inning. The rally started with left fielder Brett Bautista reaching on an error by shortstop Jaylon McLaughlin.
Seniors Shane Timmons and Chris Williams followed with hits to load the bases setting up what would become a huge inning.
After David Campbell got hit by pitch to score Bautista, Kyle Morrison cleared the bases with a three-run double to the center field gap extending the lead to 4-0.
Catcher Johnny Mendoza knocked in the fifth run of the inning with a infield single.
Nevada would get two runs in the second and third innings to get right back in the game and make it a 5-4 game.
In the bottom of the third, the Spartans answered back on a Bautista two-run single extending the lead to 7-4.
The Spartan offense was on the bunt attack with four overall including a successful suicide squeeze by Mendoza to score third baseman David Campbell and extending the lead to 8-5.
Nevada once again answered back this time with first baseman Dillan Shrum hit a towering shot to left for a three-run homer tying the game at eight. “They showed why they are the best team in the conference,” Campbell said.
The Nevada bullpen was in sync the final four innings only allowing four hits to the Spartans and no runners reached second base until the ninth when Kellen Strahm hit a two-out double but he was stranded.
The Spartans have now lost eight of their last nine games and two in a row. Tomorrow they will look to salvage a game in the series as they will play a doubleheader with the first game starting at noon.