By Georgia Blair — Staff Writer
Three ninth inning runs gave Air Force Academy (7-5, 2-2 MW) the edge over San Jose State baseball (9-6, 3-3 MW) in the final game of the three-game series.
SJSU missed out on a sweep in the 5-3 loss, as the offense scattered just six hits.
“We try not to take away from a good weekend, we won the series,” said head coach Brad Sanfilippo. “We need to be better … I think the opportunity to sweep was there and we missed it.”
The Spartans took an early 1-0 lead in the second, but it was erased by the Falcons as they tied the game in the fourth and took a 2-1 lead in the sixth.
Freshman Benjamin Polack was relieved in the top of the sixth by sophomore Nicholas Morales, who threw an inning and allowed a run.
James Shimashita gave the Spartans a spark in the seventh as he tied the game at 2 with an RBI single. The freshman recorded his team-high 17th RBI of the season.
Junior Wesley Clawson was charged with the loss after giving up two runs in the top of the ninth. Senior Fineas Del Bonta-Smith was brought into relieve, but could not get an out before being replaced by junior Anders Davidson.
Davidson got the Spartans out of the inning with three outs in succession, but the damage was already done.
“We didn’t come out with much energy and it showed,” said junior center fielder Kellen Strahm.
Junior catcher Johnny Mendoza’s ninth inning sacrifice fly was the only run that came across for the Spartans in the ninth inning rally.
“We came out and acted like they were going to fall over and just give us the game,” Mendoza said.
Polack kept the Spartans in the game for the first five innings, by allowing only one run to the Falcons.
The Spartans will travel to the University of California at Berkeley for a mid-week, non-conference matchup on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
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