By Austin Turner — Content Editor
In a game that lasted four hours, 28 minutes and featured 30 runs and 33 hits, it was San Jose State that outlasted Santa Clara and finished off the three-game sweep on the road on Monday.
The 20-10 victory for SJSU (3-0) gives the team its first 3-0 start since 2011. It was the first time the team has scored 20 runs in a game since a 20-8 win over Brown in 2012.
“It feels good,” said sophomore center fielder Kellen Strahm. “Last year we waited a couple of series to sweep a team so it feels good to just get it out of the way now.”
The Spartans offense exploded for 20 runs, including scoring 13 in the sixth and seventh innings.
Entering the sixth, they were down 8-7 to the Broncos. The rally started with the bases loaded and two outs, when Strahm singled, scoring freshman Nico Malbrough, and sophomore Connor Konishi on a throwing error. They’d go on to score six in the inning, all with two outs.
They’d then score seven in the seventh, thanks to RBI singles from four different players.
“We just kept getting runners on and coming up with big hits,” said head coach Brad Sanfilippo. “I don’t think any one guy was trying to do too much. I was pretty happy with our swings.”
The Spartans scored 12 runs in the game with two outs.
All nine SJSU starters had a hit and a walk in the game. Six different Spartans had an RBI, including four from junior catcher Johnny Mendoza.
Freshman outfielder James Shimashita continued the blazing start of his collegiate career. He tacked on three more RBI’s to his already impressive total from his first two games. He now has nine going into Tuesday’s game.
Despite the impressive offensive performance, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for the Spartans on Monday.
Freshman left-hander Ben Polack made his college debut, but only lasted one inning He was responsible for 6 Broncos runs on five hits, though only 1 run was earned.
“He’s a freshman making his first college start,” Sanfilippo said. “To throw that many pitches in his first inning is pretty stressful… We’ll get him back on track. He’ll be fine.”
The Spartan defense did the pitching staff no favors. Just 4 of the Broncos 10 runs were earned.
SJSU will look to continue its winning streak on Tuesday when it hosts the Pacific Tigers in the 2019 season home-opener at San Jose Municipal Stadium at 5:30 p.m.
Follow Austin on Twitter @AustinTurner_