By Annabelle Del Bosque — Staff Writer
San Jose State baseball (6-4) took a hearbreaking 7-6 loss against University of New Mexico (8-3) on a walk-off throwing error in the ninth inning.
With a 6-5 lead and two outs, the Spartans allowed two runs to score on junior third baseman Troy Viola’s throwing error to junior first baseman Nick Knecht.
SJSU led for the entire game with it first hitting the scoreboard in the first.
With a single from freshman outfielder Connor Konishi, junior catcher Johnny Mendoza was able to to drive him in for the 1-0 lead.
The team kept the bats going in the second inning. Freshman infielder Nico Malbrough made it 2-0 as he singled to center field and scored Viola.
Junior first baseman Alex Davis was able get another run on the board from a wild pitch. Malbrough scored the Spartans fourth run on senior infielder Aaron Pleschner’s fielder’s choice.
The Lobos caught up to the Spartans with five unanswered runs. They tied the game in the fifth and took the 5-4 lead in the sixth.
The Spartans responded with game-shifting runs of their own. Mendoza tied the game in the seventh with a sacrifice fly to left field.
In the eighth, Pleschner’s RBI single helped regain the lead 6-5.
UNM put on the pressure in the bottom of the ninth and took advantage of Viola’s error to walk-off at Santa Ana Star Field.
San Jose State will finish the series against University of New Mexico tomorrow at 11 a.m.
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