By Chris Estrada (@estradadotc)
The bullpen was dominant once again, throwing seven shutout innings. Freshman Fineas Del Bonta-Smith (3-3) got the win while striking out four in the final two innings.
“What the bullpen did was lights out and gives everyone a lot of confidence,” said senior Brett Bautista.
Sophomore outfielder Kellen Strahm knocked in the winning run in the 10th inning when Lobos second baseman fielded the ground ball. The Lobos did not make an accurate throw home allowing the sophomore shortstop Aaron Pleschner to slide in safely.
What ended well did not start well.
The Spartans were down early in the third inning when senior pitcher Josh Goldberg was unable to finish three innings of work.
He allowed four runs on eight hits. Junior Jared Mang hit a two-run home run that put the Lobos on top 3-0. His brother Conor Mang followed with a double which ended Goldberg’s night.
Freshman Nicholas Morales relieved Goldberg but he struggled to find the strike zone. He allowed two more runs to come across, making it a five-run deficit for the Spartans.
A big reason the Spartans have won seven of their last 10 is their offense. Averaging eight runs per game, this game was far from over.
SJSU slowly crawled back into the game picking up a run in the fourth and then two runs each in the fifth and sixth to tie the game.
“We have the belief that we can go out there and beat anybody,” Pleschner said
Sophomore catcher Johnny Mendoza knocked in the first run of the ball game for SJSU with a hit scoring right field senior Chris Williams.
Strahm knocked in Pleschner with a double in the fifth extending his hitting-streak to 13 games. Williams followed with a hit of his own to making it a 5-3 ball game.
In the sixth, after Pleschner drove in Mendoza with a double setting up the perfect opportunity to tie the game with a squeeze play.
Strahm placed the perfect squeeze bunt to the left side of the pitcher’s mound allowing Pleschner to score and tying up the game.
Both teams had chances to score but clutch pitching on both sides kept the game tied in the later innings
“It was huge, only reason we were able to slowly chip away and eventually win was because of the bullpen,” said interim head coach Sanfilippo.
SJSU reliever Justin Watland entered in the seventh inning with the go-ahead run in scoring position. He induced a huge double play ending the treat and keeping the score tied at five.
The Spartans then had a chance of their own in the eighth with runners on first and second but Strahm and Shane Timmons both struck out leaving them stranded.
The Lobos threatened again in the ninth with runners at second and first with no outs. SJSU reliever Del-Bonta Smith induced a huge 6-4-3 double play, striking out the next batter to strand the go-ahead runner on third base. Del-Bonta Smith came out for the 10th and struck out the side.
The Spartans will look to clinch their third straight series victory with a rematch with the Lobos on Saturday at 3pm.